Draw in the Rain
by Sailor Panda
Summary: Captured and trapped, Keiko and Kurama have no one to rely upon except each other. Will they fall victim to the fate their captors have planned, or will something else emerge in its wake?
1. Chapter 1: Before the Storm

AN: After re-watching the Yuu Yuu Hakusho episodes I've got, I had to write this. I really, really did. It was supposed to be a short one-shot but it grew so I'm dividing it into two chapters. Hopefully, the next one will be up by the end of this week.  
  
Hope you enjoy!  
  
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'What happened?'  
  
Blinking bleary eyes, Keiko moved, letting out a low moan at the protesting motion of her body. She felt stiff and sore and cold and wondered what on earth had caused her to feel this way. But then her vision sharpened, took in the dark and dreary surroundings.  
  
And she remembered.  
  
She immediately scrabbled upwards from her prone position, sitting still where she was as her eyes flicked wildly around the room. They bounced around from the dirt packed floor littered with fragments of bone to the earthen walls revealed by the sliver of dim light streaming down from above. Then she froze, tensed, an instant of fear overtaking her when her darting gaze landed on an indistinct lump that she could barely discern hidden in the depths of shadows.  
  
Slowly she crept forward, approaching that lump in a wary crouch. Though she was afraid, the flickering of concern and hope within her kept her steadfast on her course as she continued her journey until she could finally kneel beside that unmoving form. Hesitantly, she reached out a hand until she made contact and laid it upon something solid and radiating heat.  
  
"Kurama-san?" she whispered uncertainly.  
  
She gasped as the mound moved slightly with a low groan and an odd clinking sound. The noise drew her and she strained her eyes to peer through the dark, catching the dim reflection of light off of dull metal. Fear tightened in her belly, settling like a lead weight and made her mouth dry with worry as she whispered again more urgently.  
  
"Kurama-san!"  
  
He shot up so abruptly, he narrowly missed cracking his head against her chin. As it was, she felt the silky brush of hair tickle her skin for a fleeting moment when she sensed him settling back in a cacophony of metallic clinking.  
  
Silence fell, the only sound in their confines was the in and out of their breathing. As the quiet between them lengthened, so did her uncertainty and concern. 'After all, Kurama-san should have responded to me by now, shouldn't he? What if...what if this other person I'm trapped with isn't Kurama-san?'  
  
"Kurama-san?" she ventured again, fearfully.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
Overwhelming relief immediately flooded through her. Though raspy and hoarse, there was no mistaking the distinct sound of his familiar voice.  
  
And she was very, very glad that she wasn't trapped in this alone.  
  
"Are you okay, Kurama-san?" she asked softly. "It's too dark for me to see you clearly, but I think that you've been...chained."  
  
"Yes...I noticed that."  
  
"Sorry," she winced at his tone. "I didn't mean to state the obvious."  
  
"Don't apologize, please. None if this is your fault. If anyone's, it's mine."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"If you hadn't been with me, then you would never have been drawn into this mess. And for that, I do apologize."  
  
"You're acting like you did this deliberately when I know you didn't. The only ones who need to apologize are the ones that put us in this position in the first place."  
  
"And the ones who did this were after me. You were with me, so they took you as well."  
  
"If you're trying to get me to blame you, you're going to be in for a long wait."  
  
"Oh?" His tone was amused.  
  
"That's right. You weren't the one that knocked me out and threw me into a dank, dark...whatever this place is. So if you're looking for blame, I'm not the one who's going to be handing to you. Besides, you're feeling guilty enough on your own to make up for anything I might have to add."  
  
A brief, startled pause. "How can you tell?"  
  
"Just chalk it up to woman's intuition." She smiled, though she doubted he'd be able to see it in the dark. "Or maybe we've known each other long enough now for me to pick up on certain aspects of your personality."  
  
"Which one?"  
  
"Good question," she laughed. "I'd have to go with whichever one is with me right now."  
  
"Ah, then that would have to be the normal me." There was another moment of silence that chased away the fleeting levity. "Youko's presence within me is very weak."  
  
She straightened, worried. "What does that mean?"  
  
"I've been drugged."  
  
"What?!"  
  
Her cry was horrified and she quickly scooted closer the best she could without being able to see what or where it was that she was moving towards. She stopped when she bumped into something that set off a series of dull clinking sounds. She reached out towards the sound, stopping when flesh met cold metal before continuing on, following each bump of chain links up until she touched something softer and warmer. Then she hesitated, afraid to touch further without knowing what else they might have done to him.  
  
"It's alright," came his reassuring voice, as if reading her mind. "I'm not injured. Aside from being drugged, they didn't do anything else to me."  
  
'Much,' he thought. Anger curled within him when he remembered how easily he'd been taken out, distracted as he'd been with Keiko's captors. He'd had little chance to put up a fight before they'd managed to inject the drug into him, knocking him out almost before he'd even been aware of what they'd done. It made him furious to realize how easily he'd been captured, but he tamped down on his rage. Keiko was already worried enough; he didn't want to add to it, even if the situation did look bleak.  
  
"Do you know what they drugged you with?" Keiko asked, no less concerned. "It's not some sort of slow acting poison, is it?" Her voice went tight with fear. "Killing off Youko-san?"  
  
"No." Despite the situation, a small smile curled his lips. "You've been watching too many murder mysteries."  
  
"More like hanging around people who have a habit of attracting supernatural trouble."  
  
"There is that, too," he commented, smile in his voice.  
  
"So then, if it's not poison...what is it? And why did you say Youko-san's presence was weak?"  
  
"I believe it's a type of depressant. And it's having an adverse effect on Youko."  
  
"What kind of effect?"  
  
"It's suppressing him."  
  
She sucked in a breath.  
  
"It's not destroying him," he told her hastily, reading her panic. "But it takes a certain amount of energy for this body to shift into the form of Youko, or vice versa. And it also takes energy to sustain the connection between us. The drug I was given appears to be suppressing that energy and I'm unable to connect with him as I normally could. It's as if there's a barrier between us that I can't cross and Youko is trapped on the other side."  
  
"But he is still there?"  
  
"Yes. And he will, no doubt, be very angry once he gets out." His lips quirked. "He doesn't like to be suppressed, especially against his will."  
  
"No, I imagine not." Tense muscles relaxed. "But why would anyone go through the effort of drugging you with something like that?"  
  
"I suspect it has to do with the chains."  
  
"You were the only one who was chained. Why?"  
  
"Most likely, they didn't see you as a threat. They were really only after me." Chains rattled and clanked. "Impressive."  
  
"What is?"  
  
"These chains. They're magically enhanced to suppress any sort of supernatural powers that interacts with it. I still have enough of my senses to detect that much at least."  
  
"Double insurance then?" Keiko guessed. "Use the drug to suppress from inside any powers you have from your other form while the chains suppress from the outside in the event that the drug didn't work?"  
  
"I believe you summed up the situation quite neatly. What I was given, it's a special mixture definitely not meant for normal humans."  
  
"So it's a concoction adapted for your...unique case."  
  
He laughed, a soft husky sound that sent delightful shivers across her skin. She stiffened, wondering what the heck was wrong with her to be so affected by a simple laugh when their lives were in such a dangerous situation. Obviously, she'd spent too much time with Yusuke if she was behaving in such a way and disregarding the danger to them both.  
  
"You put an interesting spin on it," Kurama's voice stroked through the darkness. "But, yes, judging from the effects I feel on my body, this particular drug seems tailor made to fit my particular...case."  
  
"Well, if you can't use other-worldly powers to get free, can't you just pick the lock?"  
  
"No." Metallic clanking filled the darkness. "The chains are fastened to my wrists. To pick the lock, at least one of hands would have to have enough give to reach the other wrist. Or my mouth. But the way the chains are bolted into the walls doesn't leave me enough give to have either option open to me."  
  
"Then how do we get you free?"  
  
"Don't you mean 'us'? You're just as trapped as I am, don't forget."  
  
"I know but...you're in worse straits so we need to deal with you first."  
  
"Admirable sentiment but it'll take a bit of thinking to pull that off."  
  
"Since neither of us seems to be going anywhere at the moment, I'd say that we've got enough time on our hands to come up with something."  
  
"You're holding up remarkably well given the situation we're in." He peered curiously in her direction. Even with his powers mostly suppressed, he still had enough to give him better eyesight than a normal human and he could just barely make out her features in the dimness. "Aren't you afraid?"  
  
"Terrified," she immediately responded.  
  
"You don't seem so."  
  
"Oh, believe me, I am."  
  
"And yet you seem at ease."  
  
"For the most part. But I'd probably be a wreck under different circumstances."  
  
"And what would those circumstances be?" he asked, curious.  
  
"If I were alone." Her lips curved, a motion his eyes picked up in the darkness. "But I'm not. You're here with me so I don't feel as worried as I normally would be. I feel...safe."  
  
A shock of warmth pulsed through him at her words. It was a mix of emotions: a jolt of happiness at her confidence in him, a streak pride that he could inspire such emotion from her in the first place, a touch of tenderness at the sentiment behind it, and a dash of...amusement.  
  
"Even though I'm chained?" He rattled the chains for effect. "You still feel safe?"  
  
"I've seen you face much worse things than this and come out on top. I'm sure you'll manage to find some way out of this too."  
  
Overwhelmed by emotion, Kurama couldn't say anything. He'd never heard her utter such confidence about someone before unless it concerned Yusuke. The silence stretched on as he took the time to fully absorb the impact of her words.  
  
"Kurama-san? Did I say something wrong? You're too quiet."  
  
"I'm sorry." He collected himself. "I was just...surprised."  
  
"Surprised? By what?"  
  
"You're confidence in me. I've only heard you say such thing when it was about..."  
  
"Yusuke," she finished, hushed.  
  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring him up."  
  
"I know. But you don't have to worry. It's not your fault that we split up and he decided to remain in Makai. And now...now I think it's for the best."  
  
"You do?"  
  
"I love him," she said simply.  
  
Chains clanked, but he remained silent.  
  
"And I imagine," Keiko continued, "that a part of me always will. But when you love someone, you want what's best for him. Or her. And I've never seen Yusuke happier than when he found Makai and a purpose in life. Prior to that, he was always aimless, as if he were searching for something but didn't know what. But he's found that something now and it isn't me." A self-depreciating smile curled her lips. "I'll admit that I was terribly hurt and angry at the time, but if we had remained together then I think we'd have eventually broken up anyway."  
  
"Really?" he asked, surprised.  
  
"Yes. We're too different; a part of me has always felt that way though I didn't want to accept it at the time." She sighed. "We were friends first before we became anything else. I think part of us was too afraid to let go of each other when growing up threatened to eventually separate us so we clung together as a couple until something major happened to force our hand. I have good memories while it lasted but...truthfully, I'm much happier the way things are now than I was when we were struggling to remain together. The relationship between is as it should be, as it was in the beginning, with us as friends."  
  
"No regrets?"  
  
She thought about it then shook her head. "None."  
  
Too caught up in her own thoughts, she missed the way his eyes changed at her confession, glittering green in the darkness as they focused intently upon her. If she had seen, she might have been afraid instead of resting so comfortably beside him.  
  
Instead, she apologized.  
  
"And I'm sorry if I gave you the impression that I didn't have confidence in you." She sighed. "I don't remember if I ever said anything to anyone else, but I've always had faith in all of you: Yusuke, Hiei-san...and especially you."  
  
"Especially?"  
  
"Well," she chuckled, "out of everyone, you always seemed to be the most reliable."  
  
"Ah." He smiled. "Then I suppose I had best live up to the good thoughts you have of me and find a way to escape."  
  
"I'm all for that plan." Pause. "So...what are our options?"  
  
"We could wait until the effects of the drugs wear off. But..."  
  
"The chains."  
  
"Yes. Even if I do regain the use of my powers, I still wouldn't be able to use them until the chains were off. Although I'm sure I'd somehow be able to break through the chains with force, it would be sure to come at a painful price."  
  
"I don't like the idea of you in pain." She frowned. "Let's think of something else."  
  
"I'm not eager to experience it myself, but it's an option to keep open for lack of anything else." He shook his head. "But I hope we'll be able to come up with something quicker. There's no telling how long the effects of the drug will last. And we might not have the time to wait for it to wear off."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
He gazed upwards towards the source of the only light streaming down in a dim ray. "It's going to rain."  
  
"So? We'll just get a little wet."  
  
"More than that if we drown."  
  
"Eh?"  
  
"Earlier, before we were attacked, I scented rain in the air. A heavy downpour. And considering the humidity and the weather forecast I caught this morning, the rain could last for days."  
  
She swallowed hard, gazing fearfully above towards the light. "And we're underground."  
  
"Yes. A hole in the ground. When the rain falls, the earth will be saturated and with nowhere else left to go, the water will come not only from above but also through the dirt walls around and below us. If we don't get out of here before that happens..."  
  
His voice trailed off; he didn't need to say anything else. Keiko shuddered, unconsciously inching closer to Kurama until her body bumped into his. The contact was reassuring, reminding her that she wasn't alone and that she had a very intelligent supernatural force to be reckoned with as her companion who had faced much worse odds than this that he'd overcome.  
  
And she knew that he wouldn't let her down.  
  
"Then let's think of something before that happens." She ran ideas through her head. "I don't suppose yelling for help would do any good?"  
  
"The chances that my enemies would go through such an elaborate set-up to kill me only to leave the possibility that some passing bystander might hear a cry for help is very slim."  
  
"Yeah," she sighed. "I figured. But why something so involved? No offense, but if they really wanted you dead, wouldn't they have killed you when you were unconscious instead of risking the chance that you'd escape after coming to?"  
  
"Many youkai thrive on pain and torture; the longer the death is drawn out, the greater the fear and the torturer's enjoyment."  
  
She grimaced.  
  
"And many," Kurama continued, "have large egos big enough that they think there's no possibility that someone might escape from their trap. Though I must admit this trap is fairly good. If I was the only one here, I might not be able to accomplish much in the ways of escape. It's a good thing I'm not alone."  
  
Her eyes widened. "Wait a minute! You seem to be pinning an awful lot of hope on me being able to help get us out."  
  
"It's not something I can do on my own, not like I am now."  
  
"Feeling pressured here."  
  
"Just chalk it up to having the same faith in your abilities as you seem to have in mine."  
  
"Um, Kurama-san? Are you forgetting that your abilities encompass a lot more than mine do?"  
  
"I haven't forgotten. But it's not raining yet and we need ideas on how to escape. Preferably, as quickly as possible. And I believe that you have more than enough intelligence to help me come up with something that will work."  
  
"Well, when you sweet talk me like that, how can I refuse?"  
  
Another soft laugh wound through the dark. "Somehow, you make being trapped very enjoyable."  
  
"Thanks, I think. Now, let's see if I can make being un-trapped just as good." She looked up towards the light once again. "There's a grate covering the hole. It looks heavy so, even if I somehow managed to climb to the top, I doubt I'd have the strength needed to free up the opening enough to crawl through. And also, I have no idea where we are but I'm assuming we're in a forested area. I can hear the wind rustling though a lot of trees."  
  
"I, also, feel we're in seclusion deep in a wooded area as well. Holes in the ground aren't dug this deep in the city."  
  
"Exactly. And I wouldn't know anything about what to do in the middle of a forest. Without a guide, I'd be lost in a second. And even if I did manage to find someone to help, I doubt I'd be able to find my way back here to you."  
  
"I agree. It's better to remain together. It's likely that the ones who put us here are waiting for the results. They're could be out there, waiting to finish off the kill if this plan isn't successful." He tensed. "And they'd swoop down and pick you off as soon as you made it out. If the chances of that weren't so high, I'd say to risk it so that at least you might be able to escape."  
  
"No way!"  
  
The forceful cry startled Kurama who looked back at Keiko in surprise. Perhaps she couldn't see his expression, but he certainly saw hers and the fierceness in her features stunned him.  
  
"I am not leaving without you! So don't even think of coaxing me to leave you behind!"  
  
"It's merely speculation. I believe it's more dangerous at the moment for you to be out there than in here, but otherwise-"  
  
"No! There's no 'otherwise.'"  
  
"I'm only saying that if I'm not able to break free by the time-"  
  
"No!"  
  
"But-"  
  
"No!"  
  
There was an exasperated sigh. "Stop being stubborn and just hear me out."  
  
"No." Her voice was quiet, but no less forceful. "I'm not leaving you behind. Even if there's not much that I can do, I absolutely refuse to abandon someone I care about behind when he's in danger. If you drown here, you're not going to be alone because I'm not going anywhere unless you're coming with me."  
  
His lips parted.  
  
"And not another word from you on the subject."  
  
His mouth closed, lips compressing to a thin line.  
  
"You said it yourself. I'm stubborn. I could argue the subject to death with you because I'm not going to back down from my stand on it. So unless you really want to die in the middle of nowhere with me, I suggest you back off and start putting your energy towards finding a way to get out of this mess."  
  
Torn between frustration and amusement, he let amusement win. A smart person knew when to cut his losses when defeat was at hand and to try making the best out of a bad situation.  
  
And no one had ever accused him of being stupid.  
  
"Very well," Kurama conceded. "Then I imagine our first order of business is to figure out how to get me out of these chains. And since I don't have enough leeway to pick the locks..."  
  
She absorbed his statement then blinked. "Oh, no." She shook her head. "No way!"  
  
"There's few other options, especially since there's so little to work with around us."  
  
"But I can't! I wouldn't even know where to begin to start!"  
  
"Don't worry. I'll guide you through it."  
  
"But I've never done it before!"  
  
"There's a first time for everything. And no time to start like the present, especially when it's needed the most."  
  
"But I can't even see enough to look at what I'm doing!"  
  
"Perhaps not, but I can. I'll watch, tell you what to do. All you have to do is follow what I say."  
  
"You're enjoying this too much," she accused. "You're sounding way too cheerful considering our predicament."  
  
"Just finding some humor in the situation." He chuckled. "You're one of the last people I thought I'd be teaching thievery skills to."  
  
Her lips twitched. "I can't say that it's on my priority list of things to learn either."  
  
"Well, if there's ever a time when you wish to learn more, there's much I could teach you."  
  
Keiko froze. If she didn't know better, she would have thought he meant to imply something else by that suggestive statement voiced in that low, smooth tone of his that was even more tantalizing when it was whispered through the darkness. But that couldn't be it. Not the cool, collected Kurama. Not towards her.  
  
Obviously, her imagination was working overtime.  
  
She pushed back the niggling sense of disappointment and the feathery memories of faded dreams and desires that had no place in reality. Instead, she turned her focus to other things, hoping to get over the awkward moment.  
  
"Let's just start with the lock picking skills first." She looked around but her eyes could make nothing out. "Do you see my purse anywhere? Maybe there's something in there we could use to pick the lock."  
  
"No. They must have taken it, perhaps thinking the same thing. I noticed that the tools I had concealed on my body were gone as well."  
  
"Lock picking tools? On your body?"  
  
"Centuries of habit are difficult to break."  
  
"I guess so," she said faintly. Sometimes she forgot just how old the spirit existing within the human body was until she was reminded. Like now. "This may be cliché, but I have a hairpin. Will that work?"  
  
"Considering our limited options, it'll have to do."  
  
"But will that really work against modern locks?" she asked doubtfully. "Don't they use those little electronic cards or something instead of regular keys?"  
  
"You're thinking too high-tech. This isn't sanctioned government espionage of the human variety. Much of the items from Makai are still basically primitive in form; most of the development being in the energy that enhances them into something more. The locks on these manacles are fairly old fashioned compared to modern human standards. If I hadn't been drugged and these chains weren't magically enhanced, I'd have no problems breaking free in a heartbeat."  
  
"Some small relief, I suppose." She reached up, feeling around loose hair until she found one and pulled it out, sending the rest of her hair that had still been pinned up despite the majority of it having fallen free from the partial bun she'd had prior to her capture. She held up the wiry piece of metal. "Will this do?"  
  
"Yes. But it needs to be modified to the proper shape."  
  
"How? I don't have a clue on how to shape it. It's not something covered in classroom lessons."  
  
"Don't worry," he chuckled. She really did make being captured kind of fun. If he weren't so averse to being imprisoned, he might have considered doing this more often. "I'll do it. Can you place it in one of my hands?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
A hand reached out through the darkness until coming into contact with cloth-covered flesh. Using touch as a guide, she smoothed a path along the cloth, letting the shape of what she was feeling form an image in her mind of just where it was that she was touching. Her hand rested on the flatness of his chest, felt the pulse of his heart, steady and reassuring. He was warm, and she blushed.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"Feeling you up."  
  
His laughter rang out, wrapping her in its warm texture. She shuddered as the sound rubbed over her, raising goose bumps in its wake. It was pleasant, addictive...and unsettling.  
  
"Should I be insulted that the idea of my hitting on a guy is so funny?"  
  
"It's not funny in the way you think, Keiko-chan. Don't forget, any hormone-riddled teenaged male would be more than happy to have the hands of a lovely lady on him. And if nothing else, this human body of mine does happen fall into that age category."  
  
"Oh...well..."  
  
At a loss for words, she could only wonder if intense blushing could induce heatstroke. If so, then she was in serious danger. Hoping to abandon the risqué subject, she cleared her throat.  
  
"So which hand do you prefer to work with? Right or left?"  
  
"I'm ambidextrous, so I'm good at many things with either hand." His lips curled upon noticing her discomfort at how suggestive the statement seemed, just as he'd intended it to. Deciding to take pity on her, he offered, "But I prefer the right hand."  
  
"Okay."  
  
She practically wilted in relief and latched onto the task with a desperation that was grossly disproportionate to the situation at hand. She was embarrassed with herself at how she reacted to his voice, his words, reading more into them than he probably intended.  
  
Apparently, hormones of the male variety weren't the only things running amuck.  
  
She went as quickly as she could, nervous about lingering in contact with him. Still, as her hand swept across his body, she couldn't help but note the lean length of him and the firmness of muscles beneath fragile cloth as her touch passed over him to her destination. It was with mixed feelings of disappointment and relief that she finally deposited the tiny bit of metal into his waiting hand.  
  
"Thank you," Kurama murmured, curling fingers around the item, enjoying the brush of her flesh against his until she drew away.  
  
'Soon,' he promised himself. 'There will be much more than a simple touch.'  
  
"I should be the one thanking you. You're the one who's going to get us out of this mess."  
  
"Say that again when I actually do. Besides, we're going to be working together to get ourselves out of here. I can't remove these chains on my own." His eyes gleamed as his fingers worked the wire. "I'll have to remember to thank you properly when I'm free."  
  
She shifted uneasily at his tone. Something about it... Just when she opened her mouth to respond, his triumphant voice beat her to it.  
  
"Done."  
  
She blinked. "Already?"  
  
"I'd like to move our little rendezvous to somewhere less...romantic. Wouldn't you?"  
  
She smiled at his wording. "Definitely a 'yes' there from me."  
  
She felt her way through the inky black until she came in contact with him again. Carefully, she plucked the worked wire from him, blushing again as her skin rasped against his. It was getting to be a bad habit and she really needed to find some way to break it before they broke free from the dimness of their prison and his effect on her became way too noticeable in the lighter atmosphere aboveground.  
  
The last thing she wanted was to be asked why she was permanently red.  
  
Fingering the object in her hand, she admired the new shape of what used to be her hairpin but was now a key to their freedom. Amazed, she gazed in his direction.  
  
"In the dark...one-handed...how did you do this?"  
  
"Past practice."  
  
"Ah, of course. Silly me." She shook her head in amusement before growing serious once more. "But now...what do I do with this?"  
  
"First off, you need to find the keyhole in the manacle."  
  
"And how am I supposed to do that? I can't see."  
  
"That's right. But you can feel. And a great thief's skills lie in the ability to see in the dark through touch."  
  
"I'm not a thief."  
  
"No, but I am." His tone dropped, low soothing. "Trust me."  
  
"Alright." Determination settled upon her. "Let's do this."  
  
"Good girl," he murmured approvingly. "Just relax, and let my words be your guide."  
  
"Couldn't have asked for a better one," she quipped before she gave herself over and allowed herself to be guided.  
  
She took a deep breath, released. One hand clamped on cold metal, brushing against the warm flesh it contained every so often as her fingers felt around for the slight indentation of the keyhole. Though her skin shivered at the intimate contact she tried to remain focused on her search. It didn't take as long as she thought it would, but that was the easy part.  
  
Actually unlocking it...that was another story.  
  
She managed to insert the makeshift lock pick into the proper location but successfully unlocking the imprisoning manacle was a lot more challenging. She did her best to follow his instructions, his words washing over her, wrapping around her like a warm cocoon. Still, no matter how comfortable his voice made her feel, how encouraging he was, she fumbled clumsily, feeling horribly inept at her fruitless attempts that yielded no results and made her even more frustrated with every continued failure.  
  
But Kurama was patient. No matter how many times she botched his instructions, his voice remained soft and calm as he repeated his instructions over and over again, as many times as she needed until their perseverance was finally rewarded.  
  
Click.  
  
"I did it!" she exclaimed in excitement at the telltale noise. She prodded and the manacle fell away, dropping to the earth with a metallic clanging. Grasping his freed hand, she squeezed in her exuberance, her heart fluttering when he squeezed back. "I can't believe it! We did it!"  
  
"So we did," he said in soft amusement. "All that's left is the other one. If I may?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
With some reluctance, she released the warmth of his hand to place their makeshift lock-picking tool in his waiting grasp. Seconds later, the other manacle tumbled to the ground.  
  
"You know," Keiko commented, a bit irked. "That's kind of annoying."  
  
"What is?"  
  
"I spent an eon to do what you did in just a few moments."  
  
"I've had more experience on my side," Kurama chuckled. "And I wouldn't have gotten to this point without your help first."  
  
"Maybe. But given enough time, I'm sure you would have found a way out eventually." She sighed. "It would have gone quicker if I knew more about how to do things like that."  
  
"If you'd like, I'd be happy to lend you some of my experience...in all manner of areas."  
  
Before her mind could register shock at his words and suggestive tone, she found herself suddenly pressed up against another body. Her breath hitched at the heat he radiated as she felt strong arms wrap tightly around her, cradling her in his grasp. Peering through the darkness, her eyes caught the faint gleaming of emerald mixed with the beginnings of gold that flared through the darkness and threatened to singe her with his intensity as his husky voice washed over her, leaving tingles in its wake.  
  
"I did promise to thank you properly for freeing me, didn't I?" 


	2. Chapter 2: Eye of the Storm

AN: This thing has a mind of it's own! Youko wants his part in the stagelight and sort of took over in a direction I hadn't intended it to go at first. Thus, this chapter came out to be a bit more...racier than I'd intended but still falls into the R rating category. If anyone else thinks different, please let me know.  
  
Oh, and because this thing is turning longer than I expected it too, expect a third chapter instead of the two I'd originally planned on. But I'm sure you don't mind, do you? ;P  
  
And many thanks to those who took the time to comment. You help make writing even more fun for me and I really appreciate it. So thanks!  
  
Now...enjoy!  
  
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"Eh?"  
  
Later, she would probably be embarrassed and smack herself for her less than brilliant response. But she couldn't help it. The unexpectedness of his actions, his words, his sudden nearness...they overloaded her senses until she couldn't begin to even think of what it was she should be thinking of.  
  
Whatever that was.  
  
No, her mind was a blank and the only thing she could do was to feel. He absorbed her attention and all she was aware of was of him.  
  
The arms around her tightened and drew her ever closer until their bodies were aligned from toe to upper torso, causing her temperature to spike at this intimate position. Though her sight was useless, she could still feel and what she felt had heat pooling within her as the essence of him stole upon her. So closely were they pressed, her breasts flattened against the hardness of his chest with only mere layers of cloth separating their flesh, she shuddered and wasn't sure if the thumping pulse she felt was coming from him or from her.  
  
His scent wrapped around her, hinting at whispered dreams that dissipated with the morning light, a woodsy earthy smell that held a touch of the floral like...roses. It was a scent that should have been feminine but to her, it only seemed to contrast and heighten his masculinity.  
  
And he was definitely very, very male.  
  
It was never more obvious than when he shifted, bringing an unmistakable bulge to nestle between her thighs, the short skirt she wore being little impediment. She froze, her breath hitching as she felt the warmth of his own caressing her cheek as he murmured a low approving sound into her ear. It shivered down her spine and she barely restrained herself from involuntarily arching even closer to his hardness.  
  
The barest glimmer of common sense returning to her, she managed to wedge hands between their bodies and pushed against his chest. Though he wasn't the largest of men, he was still just as strong and her attempted protest barely budged him. Nevertheless, she persisted, arms straining with the motion. And when he finally moved back the scantest of inches, she knew that it was only because he willed it so and not due to any force that she had mustered.  
  
Keiko peered through the dark, trying to focus her eyes in the general area where she imagined his gaze to be, sensing that he was staring intently back at her. And again, she caught the faintest gleaming of color that flashed in the darkness. A sheen of jewel-like emerald and...  
  
'Are his eyes turning gold?' The muddled thought emerged as her scattered mind struggled to come to grips with what little she could see. 'But how can that be? The only times I've ever seen that shade of gold was when...'  
  
Shock widened her eyes.  
  
"K-Kurama-san?" she stuttered uncertainly.  
  
"Not quite."  
  
A low chuckle, deep and husky and slightly different from what she was used to hearing, wound through the air, snaking around her in a subtle caress of sound. It was rich and dark and confident and, despite its enticing quality, she could practically sense the underlying smirk within it. It made her swallow hard around an odd lump that had somehow lodged in her throat as her heart began to pick up a rapid tattoo in her chest.  
  
Especially when he touched her.  
  
Oh, he was already holding her in a tight embrace. But she felt one of his arms loosen, sliding upwards until she suddenly had the warmth of a gentle palm cradling her jaw, long fingers splaying to caress the smooth skin of one cheek. She managed to bite back the instinctive gasp that threatened to break free but was unable to control her involuntary shudder at his stroking touch.  
  
Another chuckle sounded, rasping against her senses and she had the impression that he shifted, leaning back into her once again. Then she knew for certain that he had when silky strands brushed her cheeks, cascading down to trail over arms left bare by a sleeveless top in multiple teasing caresses while his breath tickled her ear in a warm rush.  
  
"Hello, honey. Did you miss me?"  
  
Her mouth parted on a gasp of surprise. The playful words, the seductive tone...speculation and suspicion was one thing, but to have it actually confirmed...  
  
"Y-Youko-san?" she asked hesitantly, heart beating madly.  
  
"You remembered. Though you needn't be so formal, I'm flattered." His voice practically purred. "You should be rewarded."  
  
He turned his head, nuzzling that pulse point just below her ear. A smirk curled his lips when he detected the spike in her pulse and in her scent that told him that she wasn't exactly adverse to his ministrations.  
  
'Ah,' he sighed lustily, resisting the urge to pounce on her right then and there. 'I always did love the smell of an aroused female...especially if I'm the one doing the arousing.'  
  
'Take it easy, Youko. I don't want to scare her away.'  
  
'Who do you think you're talking to?' He sniffed. 'Don't forget, Kurama...I've had centuries more practice with the opposite sex than you. I know what I'm doing.'  
  
'With other youkai,' Kurama retorted. 'Keiko-chan's human.'  
  
'Human, youkai...a female is a female and some things don't change.'  
  
'I have access to your memories. I know how easily you discard women and I won't let you do the same to her. She different from the others.'  
  
'I know that.'  
  
'Y-you do?'  
  
'Why so surprised?' Youko shifted, placing a wet open-mouthed kiss on the sensitive skin of her neck, reveling in her shuddering reaction. 'I'm the one who's been telling you to go after her long before this.'  
  
'She wasn't ready yet.'  
  
'Says you.' He licked, letting the taste of her roll over his tongue as his action drew a low, breathy moan from her. 'But you do agree that she's ready now, right?'  
  
'Well...'  
  
'Kurama!' he barked sharply. 'I've done what you said - you with your human ideas and sense of propriety. I've waited patiently and long enough against my better instincts.'  
  
'You waited because you had no choice – I'm the main controller of this body. And as for your instincts...they're animalistic! If you had your way, you would have kidnapped her the first chance you got and kept her locked away, chained to the bed!'  
  
'I don't know what you're so upset about. They're good instincts. And it's not too late...'  
  
'Youko!'  
  
'Oh, do shut up. Your way is getting us nothing except endless nights of unfulfilled frustration. It's a good thing I took over. I'm tired of waiting, tired of listening to you and being no closer to our goal. And now...now we have her in our hands, ripe and willing and wanting...and I absolutely refuse to wait any longer!'  
  
'Stop howling like a little kit. She's very special and I just don't want to push her too fast into something she doesn't want.'  
  
'Doesn't want? Are you insane? Use your nose, idiot! Or better yet, use mine.'  
  
'There's more to this than the physical. I want more than just that.'  
  
'Well, it's as good a place as any to start with. And besides,' Youko inserted impatiently before his other half could protest, 'she's not resisting.'  
  
Indeed she was not. As Youko shifted the arm still wrapped around waist until his palm flattened against the plane of her back and began rubbing slow circles upon the flesh, she melted, body conforming to his in a boneless lassitude. She rubbed against him, an artless motion that was unconscious but no less arousing to his heightened senses. And when he nipped at the graceful line of her neck, she arched, head tilting to give him better access in a wordless plea for more even as a low moan voiced her approval of his ministrations.  
  
Youko was only too happy to oblige.  
  
'See?' He was self-righteously smug. 'She wants it. You can't deny it.'  
  
'No,' Kurama replied with a sigh, enjoying the feel of her beneath their hands. It was so tempting to give in, and he'd wanted this so much for what seemed like too, too long. 'But if she even gives the slightest hint of protest-'  
  
'I'll stop.'  
  
'Do you really mean that?'  
  
'Of course. I don't enjoy force for these types of situations, nor have I ever had to resort to that. And I want our goddess to come to us willingly, Kurama. It won't mean anything, otherwise...and I won't take anything less.'  
  
Those words and the intensity in which they were said, more than anything, convinced Kurama that the kitsune spirit wanted Keiko in the same way he did. It was reassuring even though he had a feeling that Youko wasn't quite sure what exactly was at the source of the emotions he held towards the young woman besides a consuming desire.  
  
Kurama couldn't wait to see Youko's reaction when he found out.  
  
'Very well,' Kurama finally conceded. 'But I will take over if I ever feel that you're overstepping the boundaries.'  
  
'Fine,' was Youko's short response. 'Now stop talking to me so that I can concentrate on our lover.'  
  
Kurama withdrew, content for the moment to let Youko take over. He was confident that he could wrest back control the instant he felt that Youko was taking things too far, too fast. But there was no denying that the kitsune spirit had more experience in the area of seduction and Kurama was willing to make the most of Youko's knowledge and skills if it could coax Keiko closer to their side and open her heart wider to them.  
  
Though part of Kurama wished it were he who was in the commanding position to make her burn, being on the sidelines wasn't as much as a hardship as he first thought it would be. Not when their senses were merged and Kurama could feel and taste everything that Youko was doing to her.  
  
And he reveled in the sensations.  
  
He loved it even more when she touched them back.  
  
Keiko was lost. So overwhelmed by him and the things he made her feel, combined with the unearthing of buried wants and desires, rational thought faded away until it dwindled away into oblivion. The darkness became a welcoming blanket, paving her way into becoming seeped by him, making it easier to shut out reality until this became a world involving only him and her and nothing else but the heat that flared between them and threatened to consume them both.  
  
As he touched her, tasted her skin in hot open-mouthed caresses, her skin tightened, feeling stretched across flesh that threatened to burst at the seems with the sense of fullness her body was experiencing constantly heightening to an unbelievable degree at his every inciting motion. It was as if he were seeping in through her pores while her body soaked him up, eagerly absorbing his essence, her very cells becoming saturated with him.  
  
So much...  
  
...and yet not nearly enough.  
  
She shifted against him restlessly, instinctively knowing that what her body sought he could give. She couldn't think, only feel. And her body acted of its own volition to act out upon those feelings, the urges that had her in their vise-like grips.  
  
Her arms somehow slipped upwards, winding around his neck only to bury anxious hands into the silky texture of his hair. She gave a pleased sigh at the cool caress across her flesh as she stroked through the long strands, one hand digging deeper and curling gentle fingertips against his scalp in a light massage.  
  
His pleased murmur encouraged her as he continued to lave her throat with kisses, so she slid her other hand up over his head until they came into contact with something furry and warm. Entranced by this newest object that had placed itself in the path of her touch, she lightly stroked the delicate appendage and then shuddered in pleasure when the action elicited a deep growl that vibrated through his body to hers.  
  
She liked it.  
  
So she did it again.  
  
And again.  
  
Then she gasped when her world titled and she suddenly found herself pulled even harder against his solid body in a grip that was just short of being painful as he arched her backwards over a strong arm until her upper torso was nearly parallel to the earth. Blood pounding with a surge of adrenaline at his actions, she caught the brilliant gleaming of twin pools of gold that far outshone the surrounding darkness.  
  
"So," a husky growl reached out at her through the pitch black, "my little goddess has a vixen inside that likes to play."  
  
'Little goddess?' she had just enough time to wonder in puzzlement before even that briefest of thoughts was shattered into nothingness.  
  
A kitsune's kiss was very distracting, after all.  
  
Especially when it was done well.  
  
Which, of course, he did.  
  
It was like being suddenly dropped into an ocean of churning molten lava. Liquid heat rushed over her in an unstoppable tidal wave of sensation, hot and instant and forceful, knocking the breath from her as he attempted to swallow her whole from the outside in, starting with her mouth. He ate at her, as if he wanted to suck her inside of him, devouring her with a voracious appetite that would put the hunger of a starved lion to shame.  
  
She never thought being devoured would feel so good.  
  
Until now.  
  
But she'd never been the completely docile kind and, though she enjoyed his command of the situation immensely, her more combative spirit rose and demanded she respond in kind. And he coaxed her with biting nips, inviting her to join in the fun until she was putting in equal participation and devouring him right back.  
  
Much to both – or was that three? - of their enjoyments.  
  
'I knew I picked the right one,' Youko crowed triumphantly in his mind, even as he continued to make a feast of her lips, growling at the feel of her kissing him back. 'Delicious. I told you we should have done this sooner.'  
  
Kurama roused from the pleasure of the drugging sensations they were experiencing just long enough to say, 'Just shut up and keep kissing her.'  
  
'Gladly.'  
  
He was as good as his word and threw himself wholeheartedly into his task with a single-minded concentration that might have frightened her had she been able to see it, or even been coherent enough to pick up on his intensity. But she was just as caught up in the heated sensations that flowed between them as he was.  
  
And he loved every minute of it.  
  
He arched against her, wedging himself harder between her thighs, feeling her heat through the layers of clothing that kept them from each other and swallowing her low moaned response. Wanting more, he continued to keep her pinned to him with one arm while the hand that had been cradling her cheek and playing with the smooth skin of her neck began a downward descent.  
  
Eager to know her shape, he cupped a breast, squeezing rhythmically as he tested the firmness of the soft globe and drawing even more of those delightful sounds that he was beginning to crave from her mouth. Ever greedy, he resented the barrier of cloth that kept flesh from flesh and nimble fingers made quick work of the row of buttons that fastened her sleeveless blouse, cloth parting easily while he kept her distracted by deepening their kiss. Then, utilizing his great skills as a thief, he made quick work of the last impediment to his goal, unlocking the clasp to her bra to bare the treasure that lay beneath to his possessive touch.  
  
She arched sharply when he cupped her, skin on skin, and only the covering of his mouth on hers kept her strangled cry of surprise from resounding in the darkness. Reflexively, her hands tightened on him, as if trying to draw him closer and prolong the sensations he was invoking in her.  
  
And he...he tilted his head, pressing one pointed ear harder against her caressing hand in a silent demand for more, never releasing his hold on her captured lips. All the while, the blood in his body continued to sing hotter and hotter, especially when he could feel one of her hands slipping beneath the loose folds of his tunic to stroke over the tight muscles and hot skin of his back.  
  
Then she raked blunt nails across his flesh...at the same time she gave a firm rub to his ear.  
  
And Youko lost control.  
  
With a snarling growl, the hand that had been toying with her breast suddenly streaked downwards, abruptly gripping one of her knees and yanking upwards, hooking her leg over his hip while at the same time driving himself deeper between her thighs. Simultaneously, he dropped to the ground, dragging her with him and following the weight of her body's descent until she was lying prone upon the earth and he was leaning over her, devouring her mouth with an even greater force.  
  
It wasn't enough.  
  
Impatient, wanting more, desiring full possession of her to the exclusion of all else, his hands worked urgently at their clothes, shifting material with as much minimal fuss and speed as possible until they were both bare where it mattered the most. Aching and ready, he positioned himself, preparing to dive in and –  
  
CRACK!  
  
He jerked, body tensing in battle alert mode while his head whirled with a vicious warning snarl towards the enemy –  
  
Only to realize that there wasn't one.  
  
It was like a dash of cold water.  
  
Literally.  
  
Even as his mind struggled to come to grips with this surreal situation, drops of cold water plopped sporadically on his heated flesh, causing him to shiver at the contrast in temperature. Looking up, he could see that the majority of the rainwater was pouring through the grate-covered opening above. From the sound of the heavy downpour striking the earth, pooling in their prison, and the rumbling of thunder above, he estimated that the storm had been raging for quite some time.  
  
But he'd been too engrossed in other...activities to notice.  
  
It was kind of embarrassing.  
  
'So much for keen senses,' Youko mused absently as his eyes continued to scour the earthen ceiling. Though that entry point was positioned off to the side, rain was still collecting and flowing across the natural bridges of underground roots that infiltrated their entire earth-packed prison –  
  
And was pelting him annoyingly with little droplets.  
  
"Um..." A nervous throat was cleared. "Do you think you can get off of me?"  
  
His gaze immediately snapped back to her.  
  
"Please?"  
  
He didn't move.  
  
'Youko,' Kurama hissed. 'What are you doing? Do as she says and get off! Can't you see you're making her uncomfortable?'  
  
Youko ignored his other half in favor of making his own observations. Indeed, he could see that she was uncomfortable with him still crouched between her spread thighs while she clutched the edges of her unbuttoned shirt together.  
  
'When did she do that?' he wondered with no small amount of disappointment. 'I wanted to see her.'  
  
'Youko!'  
  
'What? I was so busy kissing her, I didn't get a chance to look.'  
  
'You-' Kurama didn't know what else to say; outrage and disbelief at the kitsune's antics left him speechless.  
  
Youko, knowing full well of his other half's foibles was well aware of the tongue-lashing he was going to be given once Kurama regained use of his speech. And he, for one, was in no mood for it. He had better things to do than to listen to another one of Kurama's pointless ravings about proper conduct. After all, here he was still pressed against her in an intimate fashion so he saw little need for a harangue about proper conduct to enter into the situation this late in the game.  
  
'Go away,' Youko ordered. 'This is between her and I for now. I won't let you interfere.'  
  
'Youk-'  
  
Kurama was abruptly cut off when Youko slammed the mental door that connected them with him on the sidelines. Kurama could only watch the scene before him play out and seethe as the kitsune spirit proceeded to do things in his own merry – and potentially disastrous – fashion.  
  
"If you're going to converse with yourself all night, could you at least be gentlemanly enough to move away before you do it?"  
  
This time, the voice that spoke held an edge, sharp and angry. It snapped Youko's focus back to her and he took his time categorizing the details he observed about her. She was embarrassed, definitely. But he judged from the glaze in her eyes that the dark flush coating her cheeks had as much to do with sexual frustration as embarrassment. Oh, and the beginnings of anger at the way he seemed to be ignoring her.  
  
'She's beautiful when she's angry.'  
  
He watched, fascinated, as her eyes narrowed dangerously at his continued silence. It grated on her, he could tell by the turbulent sparks that swirled in those beautiful chocolate brown orbs of hers. He didn't care if others might call him perverse for his preference – he enjoyed seeing her fire in all of its forms...even when she was mad and snarling at him.  
  
"Get. OFF!"  
  
"Now, now," Youko clucked. "Don't be like that, honey."  
  
"Don't call me that!"  
  
"Okay, sweetie." He smirked when he saw an eyebrow twitch. "Is that any way to speak to your lover?"  
  
"You're not my lover!" she hissed.  
  
"Now that's just the sexual frustration talking."  
  
As Keiko's eyes widened in disbelief before her expression became even more furious, an imprisoned Kurama could only bemoan the situation as he helplessly watched. He wanted to cover his face with his hands so he couldn't see the shattering of his hopes and dreams play out but morbid fascination kept him glued to the scene. 'I'm going to kill you when I get out, Youko.'  
  
It was too bad Youko couldn't hear that threat.  
  
"If it hadn't been for nature's bad timing," Youko continued casually, "it most certainly would have become a thing of fact. And it still will." He smirked, knowing she couldn't see it. "It's fate, after all. You were meant for me."  
  
"Oh. My. God." The words were faint, shocked. "I can't believe you're so...so..."  
  
"Right?"  
  
"Arrogant!"  
  
"I have a right to be, don't I? You melted against me at first touch."  
  
A furious, choked cry was all she could manage in response to his smug words. If she had been able to form something coherent, she had no idea what she might have said. She was honest enough to admit to herself, if no one else, that it was true - she had lost all reason once she'd gotten in closer contact with him.  
  
'And the things I did...'  
  
She could feel her blush heighten at the memories. She couldn't believe how far things had gotten in such a short amount of time. If that crack of thunder hadn't sounded...  
  
'I probably wouldn't be feeling as frustrated as I do.' Then she realized what she'd thought. 'Damnit! I'm turning into some kind of...of...of pervert!' She glared in his general direction. 'It's his fault. It's unfair that anyone should be so...irresistible. Kitsunes are so-'  
  
Her eyes widened in belated realization.  
  
"Hey! I thought that drug was supposed to suppress you," she said accusingly. "What are you doing out?"  
  
"Hmm? Oh, that."  
  
"Don't just 'oh, that' me! I want an explanation."  
  
"Demanding little lover, aren't you? Oh, well." He licked his lips, tasting her on them. "That's not always a bad thing."  
  
Her flush deepened. "Just answer the question!"  
  
"As my goddess commands." He chuckled, a rich warm sound. "You see, the power enhancing the manacles was merging with the drug in this body's system, making its suppressing effects stronger. But once the chains were removed-"  
  
"So were the effects of the drug," she finished.  
  
"Yes, for the most part. I'm not back to my fullest potential just yet, but the lingering effects are very minor and are wearing off rapidly even as we speak."  
  
"Good for you. I'm glad. Now, if you don't mind...GET OFF!!!"  
  
"Oh, I don't know." He settled himself harder against her, smiling when he saw her involuntary shudder and caught the rise in her musky scent. "I like it here."  
  
"Well, I don't!"  
  
"You shouldn't lie; false words are no use against me. My senses are very good and I can smell it, practically taste the truth. You like it too."  
  
If her hands hadn't been so busy clutching the edges of her unbuttoned blouse together in a death grip, she would have tried to slap him. But she was still dealing with the aftereffects of their interrupted sexual interlude and was afraid that any small movement might set him, or even worse – her, off until control was lost again and resulted in a fairly obvious conclusion.  
  
The desire still burning in her veins, as well as her ire at him, had her gritting her teeth as she struggled to control herself. But his goading words weren't helping, or the intimate contact of their lower bodies and she could only silently curse herself for choosing to don a skirt that morning which gave him too easy an access to what lay beneath.  
  
Then she shifted, felt hard fragments digging into her back and a vision flashed across her mind. She grimaced.  
  
"I mean it. Get off!"  
  
"Back to that again, are we?"  
  
She had the impression that he was moving, then she felt strands of silk cascading around her, brushing her face and the bare flesh of her upper arms, and she knew he had shifted to lean further over her. She shivered, loving the feel even as she inwardly cursed him for it.  
  
Apparently, kitsunes were bad at taking commands.  
  
"Don't worry," he purred huskily as he bent closer, meaning to draw her into another all-consuming kiss. "I can make you change your mind."  
  
"I've got the bones of dead things digging into my back," she said succinctly. "It kind of kills the mood."  
  
Startled, he drew back until he could clearly see her mutinous expression. That stubborn glint in her eyes that said more that words that she wouldn't allow herself to be taken any further than this had his shoulders heaving in a small sigh of regret. He knew from past observation that she was impossible to sway when she got like this and anything further on his part would border on force, something he had no desire to initiate.  
  
A quick glance to the side lent credence to her words. The earth was littered with broken bones, most of them clearly belonging to small animals that had been unfortunate enough to somehow become trapped within the earthen confines. But it was the larger bones that could only have come from mammals that were of at least a human sized variety that gave him real pause.  
  
Lips tugged down in a frown of his own when he realized that he'd almost consummated his first union with his little goddess on a pile of dead carcasses. If he'd been more superstitious, he would have taken it as a bad omen.  
  
Hardly the way one wanted to start off a relationship.  
  
CRACK!  
  
Though he didn't flinch this time, he was shaken out of his musings. A pointed ear swiveled to catch the sound of the downpour increasing in volume as the storm above continued to rage in its fury. With concern, he noticed that the pooling water collecting beneath the opening and the dim circle of light it crated was rising, streams of liquid breaking off from the larger body to wind their way through rough patches of earth.  
  
And some of those streams were snaking in their direction.  
  
With a muttered curse, he shot to his feet, grasping one of her wrists and tugging her upright with the same motion. She gasped, unprepared for the sudden motion and stumbled only to be steadied by his supporting arms.  
  
"Well, it's about time," she grumbled once she'd reoriented herself to her new position. "I thought you were never going to move."  
  
"Believe me...it pained me more than you'll ever know."  
  
She stilled. 'Something in his tone...what was that?'  
  
She didn't have long to wonder as another loud cracking boom split the air with its powerful force. It diverted her and she suddenly realized that she was still in his arms.  
  
With a tiny yelp, she jumped back from his loose embrace, turning until her back was to him. Mumbling beneath her breath, she hastily adjusted her clothing, refastening her bra and buttoning her blouse, all the while feeling as if his intense stare was boring into her back as he remained standing behind her, silent. Then she reached back to dust herself off only to pause.  
  
"What's wrong?" Youko asked, immediately put on alert with her hesitation.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Now what have I said about lying?"  
  
She rolled her eyes, exasperated. "It's really nothing. Just...I want to dust myself off...but I don't really want to touch whatever it was that I was lying on."  
  
"Is that all? Well, that's easy. If you don't want to, I'd be more than happy to help."  
  
"No!" she exclaimed forcefully when he made a motion to step closer. "You keep your distance! If you think I'm going to give you an excuse to put your hands on me, you're crazy!"  
  
"Have it your way for now. I'll have my hands on you again at some point...and you'll like that too."  
  
She didn't even deign to respond to that.  
  
Trying to ignore him and his forceful presence the best she could when she reached down to smooth her skirt back down over her hips. But when she did, she realized that something was out of place.  
  
Her panties were missing.  
  
A hot flush renewed itself when she recalled just how exactly they'd been removed in the first place. She shook her head, an irrational determination to find that missing piece of cloth overtaking her inexplicably. She shifted, preparing to devote herself to the task, then froze.  
  
There was something clinging to one of her ankles.  
  
'And just when I didn't think I could be any more embarrassed...' was Keiko's miserable thought, followed by one that was even more inane. 'If only my fellow classmates could see our school's top student now, wouldn't they be shocked?'  
  
Unsettled with the entire situation, she started to bend down in order to tug the panties back in place when she suddenly stopped. Her nose wrinkled when she thought about just what exactly they had been lying in and the idea of having them back in intimate contact with her body...  
  
She shuddered in disgust.  
  
'It may not be something a good girl does, but I'm NOT going to put those things back on. Who knows what I'd catch?'  
  
So thinking, she kicked a sandaled foot, shaking the offensive garment off. Then, that taken care of, she turned back in his general direction and tried to gloss the whole thing over as she addressed her would-be lover, hoping to nudge him onto a different topic.  
  
"Now," fisted hands came to rest on her hips as she glared, "are we going to find a way out of here anytime soon?"  
  
"As you wish," he chuckled darkly. "I, too, am eager to be gone from here. I much prefer our tryst to continue in friendlier atmosphere."  
  
"That's not what I meant!"  
  
He shrugged. "What's that human saying? Something about two birds and one stone?"  
  
She gasped when she suddenly found herself once again in a strong embrace. Ashamed when she felt herself start to melt so easily when he nuzzled her throat, she inwardly berated herself for being so weak and ordered herself to resist his magnetic pull.  
  
"I don't particular care for a bird," she managed to say, "who hides in the shadows."  
  
His form went still against her. Then she felt the lips on her neck curve in a smile as he slowly drew back, a grip on her wrist tugging her after him as he walked backwards closer to that dim ring of light which did little to illuminate the darkness of their underground prison.  
  
Her eyes widened and things low in her belly tightened when she got her first good view of him since this fiasco had begun. Like an enchanting dream born from the dark, he was a fantasy come true. Clad in loose- fitting white that displayed his muscular leanness to the best advantage while an elegant silver tail swished lazily behind him, matched by long strands of hair of the same color that streamed down his back and were topped by a pair of triangular shaped ears...all of it only served to highlight the beauty of his features which were home to the molten gold of his eyes that were blazing at her with molten intensity.  
  
She couldn't help the shuddering breath that escaped, nor could she tear her eyes away from his. They spoke to her, beckoning her to do something that she couldn't put into words as she stared helplessly back, trapped in his gaze.  
  
CRACK!  
  
She blinked, looked away feeling very disoriented. As if a thick impenetrable fog had been lifted, her senses came back to her in a rush and she became aware of her heavy breathing, her accelerated heartbeat and...  
  
The wetness of her clothes.  
  
Disconcerted, she glanced upwards. The opening was positioned directly above them, the rain coming through streaming directly down upon them in heavy sheets, instantly soaking them to the skin and pooling around them, at ankle level now.  
  
She hadn't even noticed.  
  
She glanced at the silver kitsune. "You know," she told him primly, "you're very distracting."  
  
There was no egotistical posturing, no arrogant declarations, and no flirtatious words. He simply remained silent, staring...not the response she'd been expecting from.  
  
Then again, there'd been a lot he'd done recently that she hadn't expected from him.  
  
Based on the few times she'd seen the kitsune in his true form, she'd garnered an impression of him that was, even when he was dangerously playful, cold and somehow distant, indifferent and uncaring of anyone else - especially if that 'anyone else' was a human that he wasn't related to.  
  
But his eyes now...they were far from cold.  
  
And far from being indifferent.  
  
Even as his body remained statue still, his eyes blazed with life, with heat. Within them was a fire that beckoned her closer to its warmth and the more she stared, the more she seemed to see something else that lay in the depths of his gaze beyond the mirror of gold to the soul concealed on the other side. And that something she had a difficult time putting words to seemed to plead with a sort of...  
  
Longing?  
  
Whatever the emotion was, it made him appear somehow softer and vulnerable. It called to her, had her reaching up without thought, her body acting of its own accord as soft hands framed his face and caressed his elegant features in gentle strokes.  
  
As if her actions were a sign he'd been waiting for, he finally moved, breaking his stillness to lean forward, pressing his face harder into her light touch with a contented sigh, eyes slipping half-closed in pleasure as he continued to regard her steadily. And he liked what he saw.  
  
'I've waited forever to have her look at me with that face.'  
  
Her expression held a deep caring and tenderness that he'd never had anyone direct towards him before. There was Minamino Shuuichi's mother, but she didn't count; she didn't even know this form of him existed. No, there was only Keiko and Youko found himself suddenly possessive, wanting to somehow reserve that expression for his pleasure alone.  
  
Suddenly no longer content with only gentle touch, he wanted more and drew back, expression hardening. She blinked, looking confused at his sudden withdrawal only to gasp in surprise when he hooked an arm under her legs and hoisted her into his arms, cradled against his chest.  
  
"We're leaving," was all he said as met her startled gaze.  
  
Mutely, she nodded in response then gasped again, instinctively throwing her arms around his neck for better purchase when he unexpectedly leapt upwards. As they propelled towards that solid looking grate, the source of their freedom, she couldn't help but squeeze her eyes tightly shut as they hurtled towards that imprisoning metal. So she didn't see what he did exactly to win them their freedom though she was aware the sound of a dull explosion reaching her ears before her senses picked up the smell of air fresher than the damp, moldy odor of their former prison.  
  
Then she felt a shock vibrate through his body and hers as he landed solidly on grass-covered ground. She opened her eyes to see a ring of trees surrounding them, their image distorted by the torrential downpour that continued to fall on them in pelting sheets of rain.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
The deep voice, and the concern she detected in it, had her smiling warmly up at him as she nodded. "I'm fine."  
  
"Good. I'm glad."  
  
He lowered her slowly, her body sliding down his in a long caress until her own two feet rested upon the wet grass as their gazes locked and held. Never taking his gaze from hers, he carefully sank clawed fingers into her dark hair plastered against her by the rain. She was soaked to the skin, clothing rumpled and smudged with dirt as the wet cloth molded to her form, leaving little to the imagination...and Youko found her absolutely entrancing.  
  
"My little goddess..."  
  
She shivered, the caress of his whispered words having more effect than the rain falling upon them. Indeed, so caught up was she in the emotions swirling in his gaze and the feel of his hands massaging her scalp as he tipped her head closer for a kiss, she shut everything out but him and –  
  
"I TOLD you that it wouldn't hold him!"  
  
Before her stunned mind had time to fully register the words formed by that crackling snarling voice, reminiscent of the sound of broken glass being ground, Keiko found herself staring at a swath of silver hair and the expanse of Youko's back. He'd immediately positioned himself before her, facing the direction where he sensed the most danger was going to come.  
  
And it wasn't long in coming.  
  
Even as thunder boomed above and the storm continued pouring rain upon the scene, surrounding foliage rustled alarmingly with violent force from all around them. Bushes broke and trees cracked as large forms started to emerge out of the woodwork one by one with glaring eyes and snarling mouths.  
  
They were surrounded. 


	3. Chapter 3: Inside the Storm

AN: Okay, I lied before – but I didn't mean to, honest! Instead of 3 chapters, there will be 5 or 6. The characters are just so fun to write, damnit! It's hard to stop.  
  
Anway, I hope you all enjoy this latest segment. It's my gift to you all – even though it's my birthday and I'm the one who's actually supposed to be receiving the presents. Eheh...see how nice I am? Or maybe just odd?  
  
As always, thanks to my reviewers for being so wonderful as to take the time to leave a comment. Reviews are the best rewards a poor fanfic writer can have! =D  
  
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Youko was furious.  
  
There he was, having an intimate moment with his lover and about to win another kiss, only to be interrupted by a bunch of low-level youkai, all of which were beneath his notice. They were all ugly, thick leathery skin covering their large hulking bodies and ranging in color with horns in varying sizes sprouting from their tough hides. And it wasn't just their looks but their movements as well as they clomped forward in a heavy ungainly fashion that offended his ultimately tasteful sensibilities.  
  
Everything about them grated on his supremely fine sense of aesthetics.  
  
Especially the way they were looking at his lover.  
  
Even as he watched with narrowed eyes and bristling fur, one of them tainted a putrid shade of green gave her a thick-lipped leer, making a rude smacking noise with the gesture. Youko seethed and decided then and there quite logically and with all due justification –  
  
That one would be the first to die.  
  
"I don't suppose we could all just go our separate ways and forget this ever happened?"  
  
For one brief moment, everything seemed to freeze in place as stunned silence fell at the softly voiced words. Then, as one, every single body in the clearing turned to look at the speaker with varying degrees of silent disbelief and shocked surprise. And as for the one who had successfully drawn all attention...she flinched at having so many eyes upon her, most of them definitely unfriendly, and nervously fidgeted with the hem of her tattered blouse.  
  
"I'll take that as a 'no,'" Keiko said with a tiny sigh. "It was worth a try."  
  
One of the youkai, the putrid green one with the leering problem, guffawed and slapped a meaty claw on a large bulging thigh. As if on cue, the other surrounding youkai did the same until the clearing was filled with their grating harsh sounding laughter.  
  
Youko's sensitive ears twitched madly at the unpleasant noise and growled low in his throat. First they insult his lover and now he was subjected to this!  
  
He'd just found another reason to kill them all.  
  
Not that he'd really needed one in the first place.  
  
"Oh, I like her," snarled the leering green youkai after his laughter died away. "She's got a lot of spirit in her – makes it more fun to break." He cackled. "It's a good thing you managed to escape, Youko Kurama." He grinned, displaying a row of glistening sharp teeth that showed signs of decay. "Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to play with us after we kill you."  
  
A cold smirk graced his lips. "You're welcome to try."  
  
"Don't be so fucking cocky, kitsune. Winning's against all of us is impossible. You're outnumbered nine to one." He cast a speculative glance Keiko's way in a manner that had Youko's eyes narrowing to slits. "Unless the pretty little human's going to be joining the fight?"  
  
"There won't be enough of you left over for her."  
  
"Arrogant as ever, aren't you, you pretty-boy bastard?" The green face distorted angrily. "You haven't changed at all."  
  
Youko cocked his head. "Do I know you?"  
  
"Don't play stupid, bastard. You stole our treasure, how could you forget?"  
  
"Well, I've stolen so many things." His tone was bored. "I don't remember the lesser ones."  
  
"What the fucking hell does that mean?"  
  
"Ah. Not just big and ugly," Youko said with a disappointed sigh, "but rock dumb too." He casually examined a claw-tipped hand. "Too easy...a fight is hardly worth the effort of my time."  
  
Horrified, Keiko observed the ring of ugly faces around distort with anger and become...well, even uglier than they already were. She could practically feel their rage building and spilling over, all of that fury directed at her dangerously mischievous companion who was acting like an uncaring irresponsible child...and standing much too close. If they came at him and attacked with whatever supernatural abilities they had, she was sure to be caught in the crossfire.  
  
It was not something she was looking forward to.  
  
"Do you have to taunt him?" she hissed lowly. "You're making things worse!"  
  
"Don't worry, honey," he said airily, patronizingly. "I'll protect you."  
  
An eyebrow twitched at his blasé attitude. It was far from reassuring.  
  
"Now, take a few steps back," he advised calmly, never taking his attention from his opponents. "I don't want you getting accidentally hurt. It would might ruin the fun I had planned for us afterwards once I finish taking care of these miscreants."  
  
"Can't you think of anything else besides that?" she asked in exasperation, even as she found herself doing what he'd said and moved back a few paces. "Especially when we're in a life or death situation?"  
  
"Well, I'd hardly go as far as to call it that. And thinking of continuing our tryst is ever so much more enjoyable."  
  
"You fucking kitsune born piece of shit!" the green youkai burst out angrily, his rage having magnified with every passing second that the silver spirit seemed to ignore the danger he was in. "Don't ignore us! And don't think you can take us all on that easily, you bastard! We'll rip your cocky ass apart and hand your still beating heart to the woman before we fuck her on the scattered pieces of your body – just before we tear her to bloody shreds and eat her up!"  
  
Keiko paled.  
  
"Well, no wonder why you have to resort to force," came Youko's voice, light and cool and uncaring, deceptively masking the rage seething beneath the calm surface at hearing his little goddess defiled by the other youkai's crude words. "You can't get a woman any other way being the ugly and clueless creatures that you are." He smirked coldly as his taunts continued. "And you're all obviously terrible fighters in the bargain. Can't even set one simple trap right. It'll be a snap to defeat you - and then I can have my lover all to myself in peace and quiet."  
  
"You fucking bastard!" snarled the youkai as he and his friends lost control in their rage and started to rush him. "Kill him!"  
  
"Kill him!"  
  
"Kill him!"  
  
"KILL HIM!"  
  
The growling howls from the other youkai rose as they took up the violent chant as they threw themselves at the kitsune all at once in an unorganized and raging fighting force. Anyone lesser might have been intimidated at seeing a wall of hulking youkai hurtling themselves with ugly features twisted in fury but Youko remained cool and collected, calmly reaching under his silver hair and pulling out a handful of glowing roses in one smooth and graceful motion.  
  
The battle was over in an instant.  
  
He threw the roses like darts in rapid succession, each flying flower- tipped stem unerringly hitting its intended target in testament to the thrower's superb skills. It was quick, nary a moment to spare for thought, but he made it look easy as the differences between their levels of combat were clearly displayed.  
  
As promised, the one that had leered at Keiko was the first to die, his annihilation a thing of the past before he could even release whatever power it was that he had. The charging youkai was immediately torn to bits by his exploding rose upon impact as pieces of him rained down on the earth, only to be followed a scant millisecond later by several other loud booms as his compatriots met the same fate. And when the last body part had fallen to the earth with a dull thud, the rain continued to pour down, mingling with youkai blood and soaking into the saturated dirt that lay witness to their defeat.  
  
'It's ironic that such beauty in nature will be fed by such ugliness,' Youko thought absently, as he turned to look behind him to see how Keiko fared.  
  
She wasn't there.  
  
Horrified panic overtook him in an instant, swamping his being and swallowing him whole, drawing his soul into a dark place devoid of light where it had never before been until a muffled sound drew his attention. Immediately, he whirled towards the noise only to see a feminine form crouched down next to a chunk of charred flesh with her pretty features twisted in disgust and the faintest shadows of pity.  
  
Relief as intense as his panic had been swept over him in a powerful rush followed closely by a blazing rage that he had made to feel such shattering fear for even an instant.  
  
No one had ever made him feel that way before.  
  
He didn't like it; it was too intense, too unfamiliar, and it made him want to run away.  
  
But...he didn't want to let her go.  
  
Unaware of the dark emotions swirling within the victorious kitsune behind her, she studied the grisly remains of one of their captors with a thought niggling at the back of her head, wanting to emerge into existance. There was something off about their previous kidnappers and their most recent captors who were now laying in broken pieces around them. And when she finally grasped the question that had been trying to take shape, she addressed the kitsune, never turning around.  
  
"These aren't the same youkai that captured us, are they?" Her tone was skeptical. "There's no way these guys could have blended in with the other humans when they kidnapped us from the city."  
  
"They probably hired temporary help. Of the lower level human-looking youkai variety."  
  
"Hmm." She raised contemplative eyes to the dark sky still shedding its tears upon them. "It's certainly been a long day. Who would have thought that a simple accidental run-in with the famous Minamino Shuuichi would have led to this? Or should I say the legendary Youko Kurama? They were hunting for you, after all."  
  
"So it would seem."  
  
"And they wound up with me in the bargain." Her eyes examined the damage he'd done. "Though I don't know why they bothered with the effort. I'm hardly worth it."  
  
"A matter of opinion. The ones who kidnapped us were most likely spying, observing and waiting for an opening, which they could take advantage of and attack. No doubt, they followed me, us, and saw our meeting, how we interacted. They saw that you were important to us and took you to distract us."  
  
She suddenly stilled as his words sank in. "Important?"  
  
"Little goddess...do you not realize yet?"  
  
Mouth gone bone-dry, she became aware of just how dark, how clipped, his tone had turned. There was no playfulness, no light; he was as intensely serious as she'd ever heard him and, hardly daring to breathe, she slowly swiveled her head until she faced him. And what she saw...  
  
She didn't know whether to melt at his feet...or to run away and hide.  
  
His expression was black, frightening, burning, his body tensed in battle- readiness even though their enemies lay fallen. And his eyes were just as murky, swirling with turbulent emotions that gave her heart pause before it began pulsing at an even faster tempo as he regarded her unblinkingly.  
  
Then he began to move, approaching in a slow graceful motion that all dangerously beautiful predators had. His predatory stalk made her wary, had her wondering if all her enemies truly were gone or if she still had one more to worry about. She inched upwards carefully from her crouch, cautious of making any sudden movements that might set him off, until she was standing and still being bombarded with the conflicting indecision of whether to stay or to flee.  
  
Then he was before her, and it was too late.  
  
Clawed hands gripped her shoulders in a firm clasp, not hurting but sending a clear message warning that she would not be able to escape from his strong grasp unless he chose to let her go. And, judging from the drawn expression on his strained features, such an event was not something that was going to be occurring anytime soon.  
  
"Y-Youko-san?" she whispered uncertainly, only to wince when his grip on her shoulders tightened to an almost painful degree.  
  
"Don't call me that," he told her harshly, succinctly. "There will be no formalities lying between us, Keiko."  
  
Her eyes widened, shocked.  
  
It was the first time Youko had ever used her name. Until now, he'd only addressed her using playful endearments. And the use of her name now sent a shiver of foreboding stealing over her for she had a feeling that whatever was to happen right then and there would have a monumental impact that she'd never be able to forget if she even managed to survive the confrontation unscathed. It set her on the edge, made her worried as she addressed him in a wavering voice.  
  
"Youko?"  
  
"That's right. There will be no barriers between us – not in actions, not in words. I don't want that from you."  
  
"Then...what do you want from me?"  
  
"You."  
  
It was such a simple statement, but the feeling behind it was so much more complex, layered in mysteries she couldn't even begin to comprehend, not at that moment. It sent her head spinning, thoughts whirling madly but with no direction and leaving her even more confused. She still wasn't quite certain what it was this legendary centuries old youkai would want from a little human like her except for –  
  
"If it's just sex you want, you're going to have to find yourself another partner." Her voice trembled, but remained strong, sure. "Despite what happened down there, whatever impression that may have given you, I'm really not the type of person who just does something like that with the first attractive male that crosses my path."  
  
"It's not just sex." He laughed, a dark, humorless sound that, for some reason, made her heart ache. "I have no need for you to tell me that. I know full well that there are easier, more malleable partners that could be chosen. But such a thing is not what I want, not anymore."  
  
"Then what do you want?" she asked again.  
  
"You. Your choice."  
  
"My choice?"  
  
"I want you to choose."  
  
Her brow creased in confusion. "Choose what?"  
  
"Me."  
  
She blinked. "What?"  
  
"I want you to choose me, to come to me willingly of your own accord." His voice was black with shadows, almost frightening in its intensity. "Without coaxing, without tricks, without seduction, I want your choice made plain and for you to give yourself over to me."  
  
She swallowed, throat dry. "That...that kind of thing...I don't think I can do that unless I know that there are real emotions involved. If this is some kind of twisted game-"  
  
"This is no game!"  
  
The snarling cry was so filled with rage that it made her go stock-still at the unexpectedness of it. But there was more than just the rage. Staring into him through the gold mirrors of his eyes that swirled and overflowed with churning emotions that belied the impression she'd once had of him of being a cold and indifferent creature, amidst those turbulent emotions she thought she also saw pain and...fear.  
  
It made her heart hurt.  
  
"What I feel," he growled angrily, almost painfully, "is very, very real."  
  
"I see," was all she said as her mind struggled to come to grips with this new twist in her life.  
  
"Do you? Do you really?" He bared his fangs in an uncharacteristic snarl.  
  
She flinched.  
  
"Know me, all of me," he whispered harshly. "The good, the bad. Take a long, hard look and choose – decide to accept me as I am or cast me aside. Upon what little honor I may have, I will abide by either decision, no matter how much I may not wish to. But be warned," his eyes flashed dangerously fierce, "there's no going back if you choose to accept. Your body, your heart, your soul – I will have it all and I will never let you go. Once you pledge yourself to me, you will be mine forever. No other will have you and I will kill anyone who attempts to take you from me."  
  
She gasped when he suddenly pushed her away, taking a few steps back as he glared almost viciously and roared his final words.  
  
"Now...DECIDE!"  
  
Silence fell heavily after the echoes of his roar died away, leaving the endlessly pattering sounds of rain to fill the gap. Wordlessly, they stared at each other across the short distance that separated them as thick tension vibrated in the air, almost choking in its viscosity.  
  
'I've lost her...' was Youko's final despairing thought as his rage frayed and dispersed as reason returned with each moment that passed by.  
  
He hadn't meant to rage at her like that, or to spew such furious words. But he'd been overwhelmed by the turbulent emotions that she'd inspired in him and had lost control, as if some uncontrollable force had taken him over and he'd been unable to stop the course of his disastrous actions. His words had been so angry, so desperate...no woman would choose a man after something like that – she'd be fleeing for her life. The knowledge pained him, defeated him, had his chest squeezing with a strange agony he'd never imagine could be felt before and wished to never experience again.  
  
His ears drooped and he turned away.  
  
"And where do you think you're going?"  
  
Her words, serious and expressionless, froze him. Slowly he turned to face her again, body tensed against whatever expression might be written across her features.  
  
What he saw wasn't what he'd expected. She was -  
  
She was smiling at him!  
  
Not only that, but her eyes were sparkling with what looked to him like laughter, her expression filled with a humorous light. Confused and thrown off guard, Youko wasn't sure whether to be insulted or annoyed or...anything else.  
  
"You know," she said playfully, "for a centuries old being, you've still got a lot to learn about relationships. Like how to start one properly."  
  
Youko did something he had hardly ever done in his long, long lifetime.  
  
He gaped.  
  
"I mean, you do realize you sounded like an obsessed psychotic stalker, don't you?" Her voice held a teasing lilt. "Normally...not a very attractive approach. Or one conducive to gaining a girlfriend, which – I'm assuming – is what you were trying to do, right? I have to be honest, it sounded more like you were trying to get me to run away screaming in fear rather than declaring my undying affections for you."  
  
Perplexed, Youko stared back. "Are not human women supposed to become upset when they're yelled at?"  
  
"Oh, that." She waved a dismissive hand. "If you were a regular human male, I might have – I would expect him to know better, after all. But you're not human, exactly, so I figure I'll make allowances."  
  
"Then," he cocked his head, unsure, hopeful. "You...choose me?"  
  
"Well...not quite. I do have a couple of questions first before I decide anything definite."  
  
"Yes?" he asked warily, as if expecting a trap.  
  
"That little rant you just did...am I supposed to take that as some form of kitsune love declaration? Sweet...in a violent sort of way."  
  
He blinked, thrown by the question. It was an unusual experience for him being so off balance, proving just how much this situation had rattled him. It was as unsettling as the way she was revealing herself to be unexpectedly surprising.  
  
It was kind of fun.  
  
He relaxed enough to give her his best charming smile.  
  
She didn't look impressed.  
  
Somewhat nonplussed at the lack of reaction, he answered in a subdued tone, "It is hard to say. Love is a human emotion. From what I have seen through my other half's eyes, it's a sweet and gentle thing between people. And my feelings for you are much more than that."  
  
"Oh, you might be surprised." The corners of her lips tilted. "Though I see why you'd have that impression if the most you've observed of loving relationships center around Kurama-san and his mother or what's on TV. But real love between a couple can be both the sweet gentleness you described as well as leaning towards the darker, more passionate side of the spectrum ."  
  
"You speak knowledgeably on the subject."  
  
"Ah, well." Her eyes were shadowed with mysteries as she shrugged easily. "I know a little."  
  
"You've had experience with it," he accused suspiciously, jealously.  
  
An eyebrow arched though she said nothing. Truthfully, she was referring to them as the example in her mind when she spoke on the topic, but she wasn't going to let him know that just yet. Maybe one day, but if she told him now...  
  
No, his ego was already big enough as it was.  
  
"So you love me," she chirped cheerfully. "Great!"  
  
He scowled at her darkly. Her attitude was too blasé for his liking, especially when his emotions were still tumbling over themselves in turmoil. It was unfair and he barely resisted the urge to pout like a child. As it was, his tail swished back and forth in an expression of his annoyance.  
  
"Aw, don't be like that."  
  
He crossed his arms, still scowling.  
  
"Please?"  
  
He turned up his nose.  
  
"What if I told you a little something that would make it better?"  
  
His ears pricked forwards though he remained silent.  
  
She shifted closer, hands behind her back and leaning towards him at the waist with a playful glint in her eyes, she reminded one of a child about to impart a naughty secret. And, despite himself, Youko found himself leaning closer as well so as not to miss the whispered words she imparted to him.  
  
"I love you too."  
  
His heart skipped a beat.  
  
'Well...that's new.'  
  
Then she kissed him, a feathery butterfly brush of the lips. Gentle and light, not the deep passionate ones he was used to though that passion was still there, simmering just beneath the surface.  
  
His knees went weak.  
  
'So is that,' he thought dazedly.  
  
Unconsciously, he leaned forward, seeking more of the sweet kisses. But she placed a gentle finger on his lips to stall him and shook her head chidingly.  
  
"Uh-uh, not yet. I told you a had a few questions; I'm not done asking them yet."  
  
"More talking?" He pulled back with a resigned sigh. "Very well, ask your questions."  
  
"Well-"  
  
She broke off abruptly, causing his gaze flicked around warily for anything that might have caused that. But there was no danger nearby that he could sense and he glanced back at her with concern, especially when her features shifted into a strange expression that he couldn't read.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked urgently.  
  
"It's..." She shook her head.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I...we..."  
  
"Yes?" he asked, growing more anxious by the second.  
  
She sighed, one hand rubbing at her temple. "Why do you have to be so unpredictable?"  
  
He blinked, perplexed once again at the sudden switch of topic. He had the uncomfortable impression that he was going to have to get used to the odd feeling, at least when it came to her. As it was, his gaze flickered around again on the off chance that she could be referring to someone else. But there wasn't any other being around that he could sense.  
  
Blankly, he stared back at her. "Me?"  
  
"Of course. Whom else would I be talking about?"  
  
Exactly what he wanted to know.  
  
"This isn't how I imagined things to go." She sighed heavily. "Out of all the multitude of scenarios that I've dreamed where I declare myself to the one I love, I have never ever pictured me doing it in a clearing amidst a pile of dead youkai carcasses. It's more like a nightmare come true rather than a fantasy – and it leaves a lot to be desired." She sent him an irritated scowl. "Couldn't you have waited until we were somewhere...oh, I don't know...less bloody and riddled with body parts before you went emotional on me?"  
  
Affronted, he returned the scowl. "Are you daft, woman? I had waited long enough. You have no idea how hard it was to hold myself back all these years-"  
  
"Years?" she gasped in shock.  
  
A slow smile curved his lips and he practically preened at her reaction, happy that he'd unsettled her. It was only right after all the little surprises that she had been throwing his way recently, tossing him off his normally steady stride.  
  
"Mm-hmm," he purred silkily. "Of course, I wanted to go after you immediately but I had the unfortunate bad judgment to listen to my other half-"  
  
"Kurama-san!"  
  
He frowned, irritated at being interrupted so many times. In olden days, he would have ripped into such a rude offender with nary a blink of an eye, but that wasn't a method he could apply in this situation, not with her. Still, it rubbed his fur the wrong way, especially when he noted how worried thoughts about his other half seemed to be taking over her.  
  
That was the most annoying part of all.  
  
"Youko-sa-"  
  
He growled.  
  
"Youko," she hastily amended and was awarded by the sound of a pleased rumble. "Where's Kurama-san?"  
  
He scowled. "Locked away."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"He was being very rude." Youko turned up an arrogant nose. "He wanted to interrupt our fun and keep me from exploring our relationship while we were underground. I couldn't have that now, could I?"  
  
Her expression turned pained. "You're going to be a never-ending headache, aren't you?"  
  
"But you love me," he reminded her, smugly. "And you chose me so now you can never leave."  
  
"Whoa! Hold on a minute! I may have said I loved you, but I haven't made a choice just yet."  
  
His smile vanished. "What did you say?"  
  
"You heard me the first time. I didn't actually say that I'd remain with you."  
  
"What? Why?" Panic bubbled in his chest. "Why not? Did I do something wrong?"  
  
She shot him an arch look. "You've done a lot of things...but, no, this doesn't involve anything that you did. It's just...I need to talk to Kurama- san."  
  
He was still tense. "Why?"  
  
"You both share the same body. And, I believe, that you're going to continue to do so, aren't you?"  
  
"Yes," he replied, tension easing as he began to understand just where this was going. "Full separation is only possible as long as the human body and the soul it harbors dies, allowing the youkai to shake free from the melding of the two. But, as immensely trying as my other half can be at times, such an even is something I have no desire to enforce."  
  
"I see," she murmured, relieved. "But then, you see, if you two are going to come as a package deal, I need to make sure that he's okay with this, with me."  
  
Youko chuckled richly. "Oh, he is, believe me."  
  
"I do...but...I still need to hear it from him."  
  
"Very well," he sighed, resigning himself. "I will let him out. But he's not going to be very happy. He was a bit...upset before I locked him away."  
  
"Like you wouldn't be if he did the same to you?"  
  
His eyes widened then he laughed. "Exactly!" He wrapped his arms around her, cuddling his precious bundle of delight close. "Don't worry," he assured her joyously, "we're going to make you very happy."  
  
"I need to hear it from him first," she reminded him, gently but firmly.  
  
"One more kiss before I go?"  
  
She wanted to say 'no,' she really did. But he the way he was gazing at her like a hopeful puppy awaiting a treat crumbled her resolve before it could even fully form. She conceded to his request with a resigned sigh.  
  
"Just one."  
  
He didn't hesitate, sinking a hand in her hair to hold her in place. Then he swooped in, capturing her mouth and delving inside to savor once more the pleasure of her taste. And only when she moaned, her body involuntarily swaying towards his, did he draw back.  
  
He gave her a playful smile. "Don't forget me while I'm gone, little goddess."  
  
"Wait!" She blinked her daze away. "I have one more question. Why do you keep calling me your goddess? I'm no such thing!"  
  
"You are to me. To us." He chuckled. "But I'll let him explain that particular tale." He winked. "Bye-bye, honey!"  
  
And then silver hair flowed into red and white material transformed into khaki slacks and mint green button-down shirt that instantly darkened, plastering to the form with the aid of dampening rain.  
  
'It's about damn time!'  
  
'Oh, don't be so cross with me, Kurama. I got her to say she loved us, didn't I? I did good.'  
  
'She only said she loved you. Not me.'  
  
'She loves both of us. Trust me.'  
  
'I don't want to hear that from someone that shunted me aside and locked me away.'  
  
'Now, now. It's not nice to hold grudges, very unattractive. She deserves better than someone like that.'  
  
'Shut up! You almost botched the whole thing!'  
  
'I did not!'  
  
'I may have been locked away, but I could still feel what you did. I know you realize how close you came to ruining it all – I felt your fear. You can't deny it.'  
  
'You're keeping our lover waiting,' Youko said primly. 'It's very rude, especially when she wants to discuss our future.'  
  
'Hey! You can't just change the subject like that! I-'  
  
'She's waiting,' Youko prompted again.  
  
Torn between continuing their argument, one-sided though it may be, and the impulse to see her, talk to her again. This time with his own body, his own personality, Kurama wanted to be with the young woman who had been haunting his dreams for far too long. Caught in wavering indecision, he finally made his choice with a last muttered curse.  
  
'We'll continue this later,' he promised Youko.  
  
'Take your time,' the kitsune responded airily.  
  
"So...not to interrupt, but are you two done arguing yet?"  
  
He opened his eyes to find her gazing at him quizzically. He watched as a slow smile tipped the corners of her lips, her expression warm and inviting.  
  
"Hello." He returned her smile. "And, yes, we're done."  
  
"Good." Her eyes twinkled at him. "Welcome back."  
  
"It's good to be back."  
  
Then an uncomfortable silence fell, neither knowing what to say next.  
  
"Um...so...." She was the first to finally break the quiet, a blush stealing over her cheeks. "You know everything that happened, right?"  
  
"Yes." His face warmed as well. "I saw."  
  
"I see."  
  
Silence fell again.  
  
'Oh, come on! Why do you have to be so slow? If I had known this is what would happen, I would have stayed so that I could spend more time with her instead of letting you throw precious moments together to waste!'  
  
'Youko! Go. Away."  
  
'Then hurry up and do something for God's sake!'  
  
Kurama heaved a sigh, hating to admit it but Youko was right. Nothing was going to be accomplished with silence. He mustered his most reassuring smile.  
  
"There was something you wanted to ask me?"  
  
She looked startled. "Oh! Yes. Yes, there was." She hesitated. "Um, Kurama-san-"  
  
"No honorifics, please."  
  
"Eh?" She blinked "What?"  
  
"You don't use them with Youko," he explained gently, "and I prefer that you not use them with me as well."  
  
"Uh, sure." She cleared her throat. "K-Kurama."  
  
"Better. That wasn't so hard, was it?"  
  
She flushed.  
  
"Now, what was it you wanted to ask me?"  
  
"Well..." She tried what she felt was the safest topic first. "Why does Youko call me a goddess? He said you'd tell me."  
  
"Ah." He floundered. "Well..."  
  
'Damn you, Youko,' Kurama cursed. 'Couldn't you have done it yourself?'  
  
'But it's so much more fun to watch you squirm.'  
  
'One of these days, I'm going to get you back for this!'  
  
'Promises, promises.'  
  
"Well?" she prompted. "Are you going to tell me?"  
  
"Er, um..."  
  
'You're such a coward,' Youko remarked snidely.  
  
That did it!  
  
He gazed at her with renewed determination, strong enough to have her taking a half step back in surprise. Though imbued with different qualities than Youko, the intensity in Kurama's emerald green eyes was just as great, just as thrilling.  
  
He took one of her hands in his and placed his other over her skin, sandwiching it between warm flesh. It was a gentlemanly gesture; he did nothing else but hold her hand in a warm embrace.  
  
"You want to know?" Kurama asked, his voice low and soothing, lulling. "Then I'll tell you." He smiled. "The story of how a goddess was born in our hearts."  
  
'That's so...what is the human word?...corny!'  
  
'Shut up and let me do this my way. Or I'll be the one locking you up."  
  
'Empty threats. You don't have the power to do that.'  
  
'Try me.'  
  
Youko gave a snide snort, before conceding the stage. He wasn't quite that willing to take the risk that Kurama might actually be able to do that and keep him from their lover.  
  
"It all started," Kurama continued, this time without any interruptions from within his mind, "the want of you, perhaps from the day we met. But the name...that occurred shortly after the break between you and Yusuke."  
  
She regarded him curiously. "How?"  
  
"It began on a day much like this." He looked up.  
  
So did she.  
  
"It was raining hard then too." His words washed over her. "I saw you crossing a street; the sight of you drew me and I called out to you. But you didn't see or hear me, continuing on your way. And when I noticed that you didn't have an umbrella, I followed you, worried that you'd get sick from being out in the rain and planning to offer the use of my own. I caught up with you in the park, standing still in a secluded area. There was no one else around and you were surrounded by nature's life. Bushes, trees, flowers...and you were the jewel in the setting, a living painting, a perfect picture drawn in the rain."  
  
Her chest squeezed tight at the emotion vibrating in his words, seduced by his description as he related his tale.  
  
"You were turned sideways to me and I approached closer. It was a sequestered area and the abundance of greenery may have concealed me because you never noticed that I was there. But it was getting late, getting darker, and I couldn't leave you alone. So I approached closer, tried to address you but...I stopped."  
  
Kurama's voice turned dreamy, distant, as if he were caught up in the memory, just as she was being caught up by him.  
  
"I was entranced. You had tossed your head back. Eyes closed, hair streaming down your back in dark and wet strands, your arms were thrown wide open as if you were worshipping raging nature itself or inviting the storm in to be your lover, tempting it to take you away and possess you. You stood there, absorbing your surroundings, as if you were becoming Mother Nature herself. You were flesh, you were nature, you were woman...you were a symbol of all we wanted and, at that moment, I knew," his tone increased in intensity, "that we were in love."  
  
Her breath caught.  
  
"You were a vision that drew us," his husky words wrapped around her in silky entrapping threads, "kept us in place and how long we were there, watching, I don't know. But no matter how much time passed by, I...and Youko...we couldn't take our eyes off of you. We watched you soaking in the rain as water streamed over your skin, molded the dress you wore to every curve and dip of your body. We watched as your mouth parted, kissing the rain, licking the water on your lips and tasting the wetness. We watched, Keiko." He eyes blazed with emerald fire. "We watched and we longed."  
  
Unable to take her gaze off of him as described a scenario, a person, that couldn't possibly be her, her breath came out in shallow pants as one of his hands came up, stroking the wet skin of her neck. His touch was light, caressing, and she shuddered.  
  
"Youko wanted to take you then and there, pressed for it, tried to wrest control and follow through on the urges that pulsed in our blood, but it was too soon and I wouldn't let him – no matter how much I wanted to do the same. But there was something else I wanted as well. I wanted to wait until you'd healed from the pain of your break-up with Yusuke before pursuing you, ensuring that if you ever came to us, accepted our advances, it would be without any lingering thoughts of another on your mind."  
  
He shook his head, sending red wet strands cascading down his back. Her eyes traced the motion, almost hypnotized by their sway it as his words continued to weave its web around her.  
  
"But no matter how long we were patient, ready to make our move should the right moment come to us, the timing never seemed to allow for an opening. So we waited...and we watched." His gaze was deep, steady on her own. "You don't know how many times we followed you, shadowing you to make sure you were safe. We watched you many, many, many times too numerous to count. And whenever it rained," emerald eyes flared, "we watched you then too. Watched and longed, drawn again and again, unable to resist the pull." He stroked over the rapidly beating pulse below her ear. "Our little goddess of the rain."  
  
Awed by his words, his revelation, she was unable to articulate any sort of response as she stared back at him helplessly, her body aching and pulsing impossibly at the emotions he'd aroused.  
  
And he hadn't even done anything but speak!  
  
His words, his tone, his expression as he related his memories, opening himself up to her...the combination of them was lethal, arousing, and left her body hungering uncomfortably for something more than just words. She tried to draw in a calming breath but...  
  
It didn't work.  
  
"Well," she managed to say in a breathy tone that didn't sound like her normal self, "took you long enough."  
  
Desire faded to be replaced by confusion. "What?"  
  
His baffled expression was so out of place on his intelligent features...it was adorable! And his words, his intensity, they relaxed her, reassured her and made her feel easy as the knot that had been tied within her chest began to unwind. She thought of him, them, and their confessions and declarations as memories of all that had happened to them coalesced in her mind, taking form and shape within her mind, her heart.  
  
And she began to laugh. 


	4. Chapter 4: Lull in the Storm

AN: WAFF alert! WAFF alert! Eheh, I may have gone a bit overboard on this chapter but I couldn't resist. Talking is a key in cementing any relationship so this chapter is...well, key.  
  
Anyway, much love to all chat buddies, reviewers and readers and everyone else who has been encouraging me to continue writing this. Hearing everyone's opinions is just as much fun as cranking this fic out and I adore you all! You guys are great! =D  
  
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Kurama and Youko were worried.  
  
As they stared at the laughing object of their affections, both were consumed with equal degrees of perplexity and anxiety. Neither had ever imagined that the relating of how their realization of their feelings for her, their fixation on her, had developed would result in this particular reaction. It had Youko dancing with a nervous tension and increasing panic on the fringes of Kurama's consciousness.  
  
'Kurama! She's not supposed to be laughing at us! Why is she doing that? You did something to her didn't you? What did you do? Did you break her?'  
  
'No, I did not,' he responded in disgust. 'She's not broken – and I didn't do anything!'  
  
'Then why is she laughing?! Why? Is this a normal reaction for a human to have?'  
  
'Well...no...I don't think so.'  
  
'Then why? Why is-?' He broke of, suddenly horrified. 'You! This is your fault!'  
  
'Eh? What are you babbling about now?'  
  
'You made her not love us anymore!'  
  
Kurama winced at the wailing accusation, the volume of it resounding in his mind almost enough to give him a headache.  
  
'I can't believe this! I should have known better than to leave the romancing of our lover to a wanna-be kitsune human! Now you've ruined everything and now she hates us!'  
  
'Calm down! Nothing's ruined yet.' At least, he certainly hoped not. 'And she doesn't hate us.'  
  
'Then why is she laughing now that she knows how we feel?!'  
  
'I...don't know.'  
  
The resulting anguished howl in his mind made Kurama flinch. If he didn't die of heartbreak, he knew it was only a matter of time before his life was cut short by the implosion within his own mind unless he did something drastic to appease the kitsune spirit and reassure him that they were not going to lose their lover.  
  
'Settle down!' Kurama pleaded almost desperately. 'I'll fix it, I swear.'  
  
'I don't believe you!'  
  
'We're in the same boat –"  
  
'What boat? This is body we're in, not a boat!'  
  
'It's just an express-'  
  
'Who the hell cares?! And why are you still talking to me?! Instead of having such an asinine conversation, you should focus on her! She's much more important than anything you have to say – so hurry up and do something to make her love us again! Or better yet, I'll-'  
  
'Settle down and shut up,' Kurama barked sharply, losing his temper at the panicking kitsune. 'Or I really will lock you away and put up a mental barrier so thick you'll have to wait until the end of my lifetime to get free and talk to her yourself again.'  
  
Shocked by his normally more even-tempered half's words, Youko fell into stunned silence.  
  
'Now you listen to me,' Kurama said in a calmer voice. 'You, more than anyone else, knows what matters to me the most in this world. So you should also know that losing her isn't something I have any desire for either.'  
  
Youko absorbed the words, quiet and intent.  
  
'I'll do whatever it takes to keep her with us, I promise. You can feel whatever it is that I feel – you know that what I say is the truth. So let me handle this and make things right. Okay?'  
  
'You had better.' Youko scowled. 'Or else we'll find out just how difficult it is to kill you while our souls share this body.'  
  
Kurama barely, just barely, restrained himself from the luxury of rolling his eyes. If he hadn't wanted this so badly, he would have walked away without another glance just to spite the demanding kitsune spirit whose ruffled fur was only slightly appeased. But Kurama did want this, her, so he stayed put, frowning at her laughing form and wondering at the cause for her merriment at his declaration.  
  
She didn't really hate them did she?  
  
Before the wayward thought could depress him too much, he ventured hesitantly, "Keiko?"  
  
"Ah," she held out a placating hand, still chuckling. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to laugh so much. I hope I didn't offend you."  
  
Kurama was silent.  
  
It sobered her, made her stop laughing though humor still glinted in her eyes. "I did offend you, didn't I?"  
  
"Laughter," he told her quietly, "is not what we anticipated after opening our cherished memories to you."  
  
"Oh." She winced. "I'll admit that I could have handled that a little bit better."  
  
Kurama remained silent.  
  
"Okay, a lot better." She gave an exasperated shake of her head. "I guess I've still got a few things to learn about starting relationships too. But...I do want you to know that I wasn't laughing at you, either of you. So I apologize if I hurt your feelings. It's just that, looking back, everything seems such a mess and the thing that I was really laughing at was our entire situation." She sighed wistfully. "So much wasted time."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Idiot," she said affectionately.  
  
'Idiot?' Kurama and Youko inwardly echoed, bemused.  
  
"Well," she commented in amusement at his expression. "Apparently I'm not the only one who didn't realize a few things."  
  
He stared at her in confusion.  
  
"Looks like I'm going to have to spell it out for you a bit." A smile trembled on her lips. "Just what – or who - exactly do you think I was thinking of all those times when I was out in there in the rain?"  
  
He blinked. Then his eyes widened in dawning realization that left him bereft of speech.  
  
Within, Youko was just as stunned.  
  
"Didn't expect that, eh?"  
  
Speechless silence continued.  
  
She shrugged, released a deep breath. "Whew! You know, it feels pretty good to finally get that off of my chest. I hadn't realized."  
  
"Did...did you really mean it?" Kurama finally asked hesitantly once he regained use of his voice, hardly daring to believe yet hopeful nonetheless. "You thought of me? Of us? Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes." Her lips curved. "I'm eighteen years old, considered an adult by society's legal standards. I'm pretty sure I know my own mind by now."  
  
"But...how? When?"  
  
"For a while, I suspect. Possibly just as long as you've held such feelings for me." Her smile held a touch of sadness. "There was more than one reason for the break up between Yusuke and I, you know."  
  
He looked at her, shocked.  
  
"It's nothing you did directly," she reassured him, "so don't worry about it, don't feel guilty over what happened. Things had always been rocky between Yusuke and I from the beginning, after all. But when I began to realize that my feelings were branching out towards someone else...well, it was wrong to continue being with him. Yusuke deserved better than a girlfriend who was thinking about another guy. So we parted."  
  
Amazed at her revelations, he could only listen silently as she spoke.  
  
"I think, perhaps, Yusuke might have actually suspected there was someone else on my mind...but I don't believe he realized just who it was. Doesn't matter, really, because the result was still the same and we broke up. And despite whatever reason was behind us separating, it still hurt to let go of him because he was more than just a boyfriend – he was also one of the most important friends in my life." She shook her head. "But forcing ourselves to stay together...it would have made the both of us even unhappier than we already were. And now, we've gone back to being just friends again and we're happy that way. That's why I told you earlier that everything worked out for the best."  
  
"All this time..." Kurama trailed off, still feeling dazed as he processed everything.  
  
"Yeah." She rubbed the back of her neck self-consciously, cheeks pink. "It's...been a while."  
  
"Why didn't you ever say anything?"  
  
"Why didn't you?" she countered.  
  
He frowned. "I couldn't. At least, not when you were with Yusuke. It would have been wrong to trespass on the relationship involving a co-worker and a friend and, despite the opinion towards a certain kitsune thief that some may have, I do have some morals that I adhere to."  
  
'Meaning I don't?'  
  
'Not now, Youko.'  
  
'Ah, well. Doesn't matter. It's true. Compared to me you're much too prissy.'  
  
"And after?" Keiko questioned and, unbeknownst to her, diverted Kurama from trying to respond to the kitsune spirit.  
  
"And after...after, I didn't want to catch you on the rebound. So I said nothing and waited for the right time to approach you to arrive."  
  
"Which is why you waited such a long, long time."  
  
"Don't take that tone with me. What about you? Why didn't you say anything?"  
  
"Are you kidding?" She gave him a look filled with disbelief. "Have myself lumped together with the legion of other obsessive worshipping admirers of the extensive Minamino Shuuichi fan club? No thanks."  
  
"I wouldn't have thought that about you."  
  
"And how was I supposed to know? Maybe I would have said something if I'd had an inkling of what you felt but...you never gave me a clue. To me, you treated me first as Yusuke's girlfriend, and then as just a friend. And...actually, I got the impression that you didn't like me very much. "  
  
"What?"  
  
'What?' Youko echoed. 'Where'd she get a crazy idea like that?'  
  
"Well, we hardly ever really interacted unless there was some sort of danger involved. You almost never spoke to me unless someone else was around. And you always seemed to be keeping your distance, as if you were trying to avoid me. Those were hardly things that made me think you might be receptive to my feelings."  
  
'Damnit, Kurama! I told you that you were going about things all wrong! But did you listen? Nooooooo.'  
  
'Leave me alone. I'm busy.'  
  
'Busy screwing up our lives!'  
  
'Youko...' Kurama said warningly. 'Do you want to be locked away?'  
  
'Fine, fine. Just don't botch this up too!'  
  
Kurama refocused his attention on her. "I'm sorry. I had never meant to give you the impression that I was...averse to you. Especially when such a thing couldn't be farther from the truth."  
  
"I know that now. But...did you have to be so aloof? Acting as if you couldn't be in the same room as me wasn't very flattering."  
  
"Ah, that." A smile tipped his lips. "Well, there were times when that was partially true – I really couldn't be in the same room with you."  
  
She started to scowl.  
  
"But," he continued smoothly, "that was because I was afraid of what I might do if I were."  
  
She gave him a startled look.  
  
"Oh, yes," he said immediately in response. "It's true. With Youko constantly pressuring me to steal you away to someplace more secluded where he could have his way with you, combined with my own urges that really weren't so very different at heart...there were moments when I didn't think I'd be able to control what I might do around you. So...I kept my distance, watching and waiting."  
  
"Oh...well." Her words were a tad breathy. "I suppose I can forgive you then."  
  
"Good to know." He inclined his head, eyes serious. "Now, I have a question for you."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I want it said clearly so there are no misunderstandings between us." He drew in a breath, trying to quell his nervousness. "You spoke of your love to Youko but...well..."  
  
"You want to know if I feel the same about you?"  
  
He tensed. "Yes."  
  
"You have nothing to worry about."  
  
He didn't relax. "I need to hear the words, Keiko."  
  
"I was afraid you'd say that." She gave a strained laugh. "It's not easy, you know."  
  
"You confessed to Youko easily enough." His words were more sour than he'd intended, the idea jolting him with a pang of something that felt suspiciously like –  
  
Jealousy.  
  
Inside, Youko preened.  
  
"Ah, that." Keiko shifted uncomfortably. "Well, that's a bit...different. There's just something about him that's more open and direct...it makes it easier somehow to say words like that to him than to you."  
  
"So I'm closed and indirect," Kurama said darkly, "and harder to love?"  
  
"Oh, boy." She grimaced. "I'm really not doing very well at this, am I?"  
  
He inclined his head, waiting.  
  
"Okay, okay. Let me try again." She tucked a wet strand of hair behind her ear, a nervous gesture. "You and I, for the most part, we're both products of Japanese human society, correct?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
"We were raised to behave a certain way. Japanese reserve, I believe, is what some people call it. It's a quality that most people of the older generation have but, for those of us who strive so hard to please the parents we love so much and make them proud," she cast him an expression of shared understanding, "I think that we sort of absorb those qualities into our own personalities, sometimes without even realizing it."  
  
"So I'm reserved, am I?"  
  
"Do you deny it?"  
  
He shook his head.  
  
"You shouldn't be bothered by it. I think, perhaps, that the natural reserve that you may have unconsciously adopted from your parent, as well as the environment you grew up in, was also aggravated by the secret of your shared personalities. Most people, after all, don't react well to the unusual so you probably kept yourself on guard out of instinct if nothing else, distancing yourself from others to lessen the chance that they might find out about it. Given the circumstances, something like that is only to be expected."  
  
"And my reserve...puts you off?" he asked quietly.  
  
"Ah, now. I never said that. Don't put words in my mouth," she chided gently. "As for you being reserved...truthfully, I am too, at least in certain matters. And that's what makes this harder. When you have two reserved people and put them together...letting go of reservations becomes even more difficult, especially in the light of day." A rueful smile touched her lips. "Some things are easier to deal with in the dark."  
  
Silently, he agreed.  
  
"Youko...the words were easier to say to him because he's more...free with his emotions, less hindered by the social rules of conduct that we've grown up with and been taught to conform to." She gave a small laugh. "I guess having existed for several centuries has worn away most of his worries about adhering to certain social rules of interaction."  
  
"No argument there."  
  
'I am not insulted,' Youko interjected in a miffed tone. 'Some of your human rules are unbearably silly and I am beyond such ridiculousness.'  
  
Kurama ignored him, too intent on Keiko to be distracted.  
  
"So," Keiko started hesitantly, "is what I'm saying making any sense?"  
  
It did, unfortunately. Kurama gave a small nod, not feeling particularly happy with her revelation. "Because of the different characteristics we have, you feel more at ease with confessing emotions to Youko because he draws them more easily out into the open than I'm able to."  
  
"Why are you deliberately twisting things to make yourself look worse?" she asked in exasperation. Frustrated and not knowing what else to do, she reached up, framing his face within her hands and directing him to focus on her gaze which was swirling with emotion. "Now, you listen to me. The two of you, for all that you share the same body and some similarities, you're still two very separate personalities. How that works exactly is still a mystery to me, but that doesn't make it any less true. And because of that, the differences between you, of course I react differently with him than I do with you. But that doesn't make either one better or worse than the other. Or that I feel for one any more or less than the other."  
  
From the look on his face, it was obvious he didn't quite believe her.  
  
An eyebrow twitched in annoyance. "Are you being purposefully obtuse just to irritate me? I'm finding it extremely hard to believe that the Minamino Shuuichi fabled for his intelligence in a dozen school districts in the city and probably beyond is finding it so hard to grasp the concept that the feelings I have for you are just as great as the ones I hold for your other half. In short, you dummy," she huffed, "I love you, too."  
  
His breath whooshed out in a rush. It was unbelievable how relieved he felt at her words for all that they weren't quite spoken in the loving tone he would have liked to have had with such a concession.  
  
Still, the only thing that mattered was that she'd told him she loved him.  
  
"It's incredible," she was grumbling, "that being who you are, you still seem to have such a self-confidence prob-"  
  
Her words were abruptly cut off when he kissed her. Caught by surprise, she gasped, only to have him take immediate advantage by delving in a tongue to sweep across the moist cavern of her mouth while his arms crushed her close as he poured everything he was into that kiss. His love, his excitement, his soaring emotions – he gathered them up and showered her with them in an intense maelstrom that had her knees going weak as she sagged against him and he took the brunt of her weight, the strength of him holding them both upright.  
  
Then he drew back, leaving her dazed and glassy-eyed with cheeks flushed a pretty shade of pink. It made his heart swell with feeling to know that he, and no one else, was the one that had put that expression on her face.  
  
'I'm so proud,' Youko remarked as he savored her taste on their lips. 'And to think...some people were beginning to think you were gay.'  
  
Kurama restrained a scowl. 'Now is not the time.'  
  
'What? Can you blame them with the way you-'  
  
'Youko...stop distracting me. Unless you want us to lose her at this critical stage.'  
  
Youko huffed but, nevertheless, fell silent, watching.  
  
'Thank you.'  
  
Kurama turned his full attention to the young woman in his arms, a small smile creeping over his lips as he regarded her warmly, pleasure at her reaction instilling him with a sort of pride he'd never felt before. It was the first time without Youko's influence that he'd put a look like that on a woman's face – well, deliberately anyway.  
  
"Well..." Keiko blinked dazed eyes. "Wow."  
  
"I see what you meant about wasted time," he said softly, finger stroking through the wetness of her hair. "When I think about how things might have been different between us before now..."  
  
"Don't think about it," she responded once his regretful words registered in her mind. "That's in the past and no good will come from constantly dwelling on it."  
  
"Well, then." He bent down to nuzzle the curve of her cheek. "You'll just have to give me something else to dwell on then, won't you?"  
  
She made a sound of amused disbelief. "You're a lot more playful than I thought you were. Both you and Youko."  
  
"Before we were holding back, afraid to scare you by revealing our feelings for you too quickly." He breathed in her rain-washed scent. "But we have no need of that now." He drew away enough to gaze at her a bit uncertainly. "Do we?"  
  
"No." She gave him a crooked smile. "I want you, the both of you, to be yourselves. At least, as much as you can without getting into too much trouble," she hastily amended when she thought of the mischievous kitsune counterpart. "I don't want you to feel you have to hide your feelings or hold back on your actions when it comes to me. Because...I think I sense it, and it bothers me."  
  
His green eyes reflected puzzlement. "What do you mean?"  
  
"You said you kept your distance from me because you weren't sure how you'd react around me, right?"  
  
"I believe I actually said that I wasn't sure if I could control myself around you."  
  
"Ah, right." She cleared her throat, blushing. "Well, anyway, I often had the impression that there was more beneath that calm and cool façade that I always seemed to see you with. And I can't tell you how many times it drove me crazy when I felt that there was more than on the surface but I just could never pinpoint what exactly it was. It was like one of those elusive thoughts that you try to remember but can never quite seem to grasp before it vanishes from memory before you even manage to catch it. Every time I saw you, I always felt as if there was something I was missing but couldn't figure out what it was." She frowned at him. "It was very irritating."  
  
'She felt us,' Youko purred, pleased. 'Even when we hid the truth of our nature, she still felt us. That means we were connected, even back then.'  
  
'So it seems.'  
  
Kurama's own pleasure glittered in his gaze as he traced the downward curve of her soft lips. "It's only proper to apologize after being the cause of such distress. Perhaps I can make it up to you...somehow?"  
  
She rolled her eyes at his suggestive tone. "You really can't think of anything else, can you?"  
  
He gave an embarrassed shrug, which might have been more effective if not for the slight smirk that curled his lips. "When a man has a goddess at hand, he has a right to be a little moonstruck."  
  
"Oh, please. If you keep up with these cheesy lines, I'm going to have to reevaluate the merits of becoming an official couple. They're sweet and everything but...a girl's got to have some standards, after all."  
  
Inside, Youko chuckled then abruptly stopped. 'She wouldn't really do that would she?'  
  
'Where'd all your self-confidence go?' Kurama chided. 'Keiko's not like that. Of course she wouldn't...I don't think.'  
  
"Of course I wouldn't," Keiko responded to the expression on Kurama's features. "Honestly, I just told you how I felt and you're already doubting me?"  
  
"You were a bit angry when you said it," Kurama reminded her. "A lot of things can be said in that mood which you don't really mean."  
  
"And you're going to get me in that mood again if you don't quit being so doubting," she huffed. "What is it going to take for you to get it through that stubborn skull of yours that I'm not just going to up and suddenly change my mind?"  
  
"I – no, we – know better, truly we do." He drew her into another loose embrace, pleased when she let him without any fuss. "But it's the nature of most beings to dwell on the negative and for too long there has always been a lingering fear that perhaps you would never return our feelings. We're ecstatic that you have but...we're still afraid."  
  
"Afraid of what?"  
  
"Afraid that you'll slip away." He drew his arms tighter around her, taking comfort in the contact. "Afraid that this will vanish, that it's just another dream that will disappear after waking, that you'll realize you can do better than us and leave us, that you'll find us too much trouble to handle and move on to someone else less difficult to deal with, that-"  
  
'Kurama! What the hell are you doing?!'  
  
Kurama blinked, startled out of his diatribe.  
  
'You idiot! You're supposed to convince her to keep us – not point out the merits of being without us!'  
  
With a wince, Kurama realized that's exactly what he'd been doing. 'I didn't mean to...'  
  
'Who cares about that? What matters is that you did! Now fix it!'  
  
A sudden constriction about his waist distracted him from whatever reply he might have made in response. There was another tightening then a loosening as Keiko released her grip on him and drew back enough from their embrace to look him in the eye. What expression she saw on his face, he wasn't sure, but what he saw on hers...  
  
'Would it be unmanly to melt?' Kurama wondered.  
  
Youko merely sighed in contentment. 'I want to see more of that face.'  
  
In that, the two were in complete agreement.  
  
"It's something," she told him solemnly, "that's going to take me a little time to get used to. I never really thought that I'd actually get a chance to tell you how I feel and the newness of it all is bound to give me moments of discomfort. But, despite how uncomfortable it makes me at times, I want you to know without any doubt that," she smiled at him softly, "I do love you, too."  
  
He released a breath he hadn't been aware of holding.  
  
"Now, what about you?"  
  
"What about me?" he asked, startled. "I already told you that I-"  
  
"No, not that," she broke in gently. "I remember. It's not something I'm likely to ever forget either. The both of you can be so intense that it's almost scary at times, but that's okay. It doesn't really bother me."  
  
"Then...what did you mean?"  
  
She sighed, looking off into the distance as her mind struggled to give voice to her concerns, ones that seemed to have formed since she'd first met him but never had to explain until now. Slowly, the words took shape, falling from her lips in a soft whisper of sound that flowed around them before being doused by the pouring rain.  
  
"This world...the human world...it has certain standards, the written and the unwritten, that shape the way people live. You've grown up in it and have been influenced to some extent by it as well for all that part of you might cling to old values held long before this point in time."  
  
He didn't understand. "What are you trying to ask?"  
  
"It's...what I'm trying to ask is...well...." She struggled, made a frustrated noise. "Do you...do you think less of me?"  
  
His features were perplexed. "Why would I think anything like that?"  
  
"Because...you and Youko...you're not the same." Her brow crinkled as she concentrated to find the right words. "Like I said before - there are certain characteristics that are similar, and you may both share the same body, but you're still two different personalities, different men."  
  
"And so...?"  
  
She gave him a speaking look. "What does our society think about someone who's in love with two different men at the same time?"  
  
"Ah." He was suddenly inexplicably amused and could feel the same sentiment flowing from Youko within. "You're worried that I – we – may think less of you because you love the both of us?"  
  
She inclined her head, eyes intent upon him.  
  
Kurama laughed, a light sound, low and warm. And Youko, who she could not see, lay just beneath the surface and mirrored the gesture, laughing as well with a heart full of loving humor.  
  
'Isn't she adorable, Kurama?' Youko asked affectionately. 'Worrying about such silly things...it's so cute!'  
  
'Yes,' he agreed. 'She is.'  
  
'Now who's the one laughing at inappropriate moments?" Arms crossed, Keiko glared at him, lips pursed in a pout. "It really doesn't bode well for our future."  
  
"I'm sorry," he apologized immediately with a smile. "But the idea that I- "  
  
'Hey! Don't forget about me!'  
  
"-that we," Kurama amended, "would ever think such a thing about you is impossible." He took her hand in his. "Indeed, it would be more troublesome if you did not hold the same feelings for the both of us as we cannot be separated. And the fact that you know our secret, can accept both of us, love us each for who we are – that is very special and precious to us."  
  
"Yes, but...." Indecision gripped her. "Even so...."  
  
"We are not bothered by this."  
  
Her expression was still troubled.  
  
"But, perhaps," his gaze was understanding, "the one most bothered by this is you yourself?"  
  
"Maybe." Her smile was self-depreciating. "Most likely. After all, my parents raised me to be a good girl, a good person who didn't get in trouble or get sidetracked easily by vices. For the most part, I did pretty well at living the way I was raised to be aside from a few odd moments here or there, and I always believed that I had fairly decent morals. But when I always thought that there was only one person I should love, that I should devote myself to...." Her eyes cast downward, her words barely a soft whisper. "What does...this...say about the kind of person I am?"  
  
'Hold her, Kurama,' Youko ordered, touched by her emotions. 'Comfort her.'  
  
Kurama didn't need to be told twice.  
  
His arms were already reaching for her, enfolding her in a protective embrace even before the kitsune spirit had spoken. He drew her to him, the warmth of her frame pressing against his as he offered her the support of his presence in the face of her self-doubt. He held her close, swaying slightly back and forth in a lulling rocking motion as he tucked her head beneath his chin while his rested lightly on the wetness of her hair as the rain continued to fall around them. And only when he felt the tenseness of her body begin to relax did he speak.  
  
"You're a wonderful person," Kurama said quietly. "A wonderful person who has a heart loving enough to accept us when other humans would run screaming for their lives were they to discover that the youkai that exist only in their fantasies are, in fact, a reality. You know the truth and yet you accept us, treat us like you would any other, love us like you would a normal person. To us, that's a very rare and special gift. And I'm sure you know that Youko, in his lifetime of thievery, has had extensive experiences with valuable treasures so he would know just how special it is."  
  
She smiled, silent, listening.  
  
"We know that you're a pure soul – not given to deception, loyal to those you care about, and possessing many respectable moral values that you hold yourself strongly to. You're an upstanding citizen who does the best you can in adhering to the laws and values set by human society. But...you're also and intelligent person with a mind of your own and I'm sure you realize that those laws and values are sometimes flawed, yes?"  
  
She gave a slow nod, her cheek rubbing against the damp cloth covering his collarbone with the movement.  
  
"I've seen you bend those values in certain situations without hesitation, following whatever internal voice it is inside that guides you. And during those times, I've always seen your actions as worthy though an ordinary person who was to witness the same might not. But, in all actuality, the opinion of others doesn't matter nearly as much as your own. And so I ask you – do you ever regret those times, the course of action you chose?"  
  
She took a moment to mull it over. But, in the end, she shook her head.  
  
"I didn't think so," he murmured, tone pleased. "The rules of society are good guidelines to follow and keep a fair amount of order in the way of things, but they only work up to a point. And I've observed you enough to know that you have a firm grasp on where exactly that point is and when you can go beyond it and how far you can step from it before tumbling completely over the edge."  
  
He nuzzled her hair, breathed in her scent, taking comfort in it. And she, feeling his actions, took comfort as well while his heartfelt words flowed around her in gentle eddies.  
  
"Our situation is unique, and I know that it tests the boundaries of those values of yours until they're straining at their limits. And I apologize for the conflict that we're causing you now and for the difficulties that will, no doubt, lie ahead of us. But...we've learned that the most worthwhile things in life don't come without some effort and this is too important to us to let go of so easily. We're serious about this, and I can promise you that we'll do whatever we can to make it work."  
  
He drew back again to look her in the eye, his gaze straightforward and reflecting such a sincere honesty that it nearly had her feeling ashamed at her wavering indecision.  
  
"I won't lie to you and say that there will never be problems that arise between us. All relationships have them at one time or another and the...uniqueness of our particular case is sure to bring us our fair share. Be we are willing to try, nonetheless." His gaze was gentle, but demanding. "Are you?"  
  
She held his gaze, feeling the weight of the moment resting on her shoulders like a heavy cloak. Finally, she closed her eyes and sighed, "Yes. Yes, I am."  
  
Relief resounded through him from outside to in, pooling from both of his souls. "Good." He chuckled. "I really can't even begin to tell you how relieved I am to hear that."  
  
"I'm sorry I worried you."  
  
"Think nothing of it," he responded easily to her contrite words. "Just as long as you're feeling more settled about this." He hesitated. "You are okay with this now, aren't you?"  
  
"For the most part. I mean, doubts don't just vanish into thin air by waving a magic wand. They take time to fade away." She gave him an arch look. "Just like the doubts you have about me suddenly deciding to wash my hands of the both of you."  
  
"Heheh...yeah, I guess that's something similar..."  
  
Humor sparkled in her eyes at his faint embarrassment. "Yes, it is." Her expression turned more serious. "I do want to be with you, both of you. It's just that...I wish this little voice in the back of my head would stop telling me that it's so wrong."  
  
"Ah, but that's just your head talking." He stroked it, fingers threading through wet strands of earth toned hair. "When it comes to relationships, it's the mind that often causes people to second-guess themselves, doubt what they should do, worrying too much about the proper way to go about things until it all becomes a hopeless muddle." He smiled at her. "Believe me, I know from recent personal experience."  
  
She gave a small laugh. "You're not the only one."  
  
"And so...what about you're feelings?"  
  
"What about them?"  
  
"You said your head tells you it's wrong. But what about your feelings, your heart? What do they say?"  
  
"They say..." She sighed. "They say it's right. They're perfectly at home with idea of being with the two of you, especially since you both seem to be in agreement about me. But the fact that my heart is completely at ease with loving two different people is why my head keeps telling me 'No, this is bad - it should only be one.' And if it's more than one, then can it really be called love? When I think about it, having feelings for two seems like I'm straying from the other, like I might not have what it takes to be...faithful."  
  
'That's ridiculous,' Youko scoffed. 'Tell her, Kurama!'  
  
He did. "You're one of the most faithful and trustworthy people that I know, Keiko."  
  
"Tell that to Yuusuke."  
  
"That's different. Did he ever accuse you of cheating on him?"  
  
"Well...no. But I'm sure he suspected that I had feelings for someone else."  
  
"Feelings you never acted upon," Kurama reminded her. "If you had, that would have been cheating. Feelings aren't something you can always control, and actually choosing the one you fall in love with is even more impossible – it's something that happens on its own. It's admirable that you stayed with Yuusuke and did your best to make the relationship between you work, even if you didn't feel for him the way you should. And the fact that you did should prove just how faithful you are. To stay with someone, remaining true to them, trying to maintain a failing relationship even as feelings change – if that's not faithful, then I don't know what is."  
  
"I think you're making me sound better than I actually am."  
  
"No, I'm not. I'm telling the truth the way I see it. And what I see is a woman who remained loyal to the person she was involved with and, when the relationship she did her best to maintain started to fail, she made the right decision to break it off so both could move on to something better that would bring them the happiness they each have every right to seek."  
  
She was pensive, still not completely convinced.  
  
Seeing it, he started to get exasperated. "When you were with Yuusuke, and even when he was gone on his long absences, did you ever flirt with another guy or go out with him?"  
  
"Of course not! I'd never-!"  
  
"That's right. You'd never do that to anyone you happened to be involved with because you see a relationship as a promise, and I know how hard you try to keep your promises. Despite whatever doubts you may have, you're not the type to stray."  
  
"Well, I certainly hope not. But-"  
  
"No. No 'but's. Loving two people doesn't make you a bad person. It just means that your heart is big enough to allow for it." He gaze turned intense, seeking an honest answer. "And no matter what concerns you may have, do you really think that you would ever stray from a relationship with us?"  
  
Even the idea of it boggled her mind. "How could I? I can't even imagine being with anyone else. The only thing I can think of is you." Her tone wasn't completely happy. "The two of you always seem to be on my mind, even when I try hard not to think of you."  
  
Kurama and Youko were quite pleased with that particular admission.  
  
"That's how we feel," Kurama commented.  
  
"Annoying, isn't it?"  
  
"Well, it does have its moments." He studied her. "Better now?"  
  
"A little, yes. Though I still feel a bit guilty."  
  
He tensed. "Why?"  
  
"Because...well, it's silly but I have this niggling feeling that there's something wrong with me for not feeling guilty about this."  
  
He grasped onto the thought like a lifeline. "So you don't feel guilty?"  
  
"No, I don't. Not really. Not about us. I feel guilty for not feeling guiltier about it though, if that makes any sense. It's all still...kind of confusing and I don't think I have it completely straight in my own head yet."  
  
She looked so adorably forlorn he couldn't help himself from cuddling her closer. "Well...I'm sure that we will figure it one of these days."  
  
"'We,' huh?" she asked, amused.  
  
"That's right. Unless...you want to do it alone?"  
  
"Uh-uh. That's a negative." She laughed. "As much trouble as the two of you have caused me, life is definitely a lot more fun to deal with when I'm with you than without." She twined her arms around him as her eyes sparkled up at him. "I'm afraid you've got me for as long as you care to keep me. If that's okay with you?"  
  
'YES!!!' was Youko's triumphant cry. 'Yes, yes, YES!!!'  
  
Kurama's response was more restrained though he was feeling no less ecstatic. "You don't even have to ask," he told her with a smile. "We're more than willing to keep you."  
  
"You'd better." She winked playfully. "You don't want to see me mad."  
  
Heart light, he adored her with his eyes, loving the ease she was displaying with him, with their relationship. Emotions washed over him, flooding through him and spilling over, the overflow from two happy souls housed in one body that sought an outlet to express the joy filling them by –  
  
"May...I kiss you?"  
  
The question was hesitant, unexpectedly sweet and shy. Her startled gaze blinked up at him as a becoming blush flourished across the pale skin of her pretty features. Actually being asked for a kiss...it was different approach that had a bashfulness of her own blooming within her as her pulse stuttered with a nervous excitement. But despite the odd tension stealing through her, her answer came easily.  
  
"Yes," she whispered shyly.  
  
His emerald eyes lit up with a sort of surprised boyish glee that had her insides trembling pleasantly like a bowl full of jello. Anticipation curled within them as they shifted closer together. They moved slowly towards each other, as if drawing out and savoring the moment to its fullest until –  
  
SQUISH!  
  
She made a face, stomach lurching. "I think I just stepped on a piece of intestine."  
  
'Damnit, Kurama! We were just getting to the good part. Couldn't you have picked somewhere more romantic?'  
  
'Hey! Don't blame me. I wasn't the one that created this mess in the first place!'  
  
"Like I said before," Keiko was sighing, drawing their attention, "you're very distracting. I can't believe I forgot where we were again!" She wrinkled her nose. "I don't suppose we could erase this from our memories and do this all over again at a newer – and less bloody – location?"  
  
"I can't help with the forgetting," Kurama chuckled, "but I think the new location can be done."  
  
"Better than nothing."  
  
She shifted, felt the undeniably soft squishiness beneath her feet that was still firmer than mud and absolutely refused to look down. She already had enough horrific images courtesy of the day's events to last her for quite a while and she saw no need to add to her reluctant collection any more than necessary. And so she kept her gaze fixated on the collar of Kurama's shirt, trying to forget about what it was she had stepped in and where exactly it had come from.  
  
"Can we leave?" she pleaded. "Now?"  
  
"Alright," he said soothingly as he grasped one of her hands. "Just follow me. We'll be far away from here in no time."  
  
"Oh, now. I don't know about that," came a new voice.  
  
'Now what?' an exasperated Youko and Kurama thought as their senses went on alert trying to detect the location of this newest threat.  
  
As before, the situation bringing about a strong sense of déjà vu, one by one forms spilled out from the forest until they formed a ring around the figures that had fallen into their trap. Only this time, there were twice as many enemies in number as Keiko and her companion found themselves surrounded once more with no open exit in sight. And also, as before, it was one that seemed to be designated spokesperson of the group that clearly proclaimed their goal.  
  
It wasn't reassuring.  
  
"You're not going anywhere," was the sharp command. "At least, not until we kill you first." 


	5. Chapter 5: Chaos in the Storm

AN: Yes, it's me again come to harass you all with my storytelling attempts. Since action scenes are difficult for me, I hope I did it well enough to keep you all entertained, especially since it's going to be bleeding over into the next chapter. Why? Because I'm evil and this story just doesn't seem to want to end as quickly as I thought it would. What can a girl do?  
  
As always, thanks to my wonderful reviewers and chat buddies who have been kind enough to take the time to share their opinions on this story with me. They're always sincerely appreciated - and I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter!  
  
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"Now, who should we kill first? The human? Or the traitor?" The youkai smiled. "It's such a hard decision. Maybe we should just flip a coin."  
  
Though the ring of youkai laughed, the figures caught in the center of them were wholly un-amused. Keiko and Kurama eyed them warily, adding up their numbers and not liking the odds.  
  
"Well," Keiko murmured, "at least they're better looking than the other ones."  
  
Kurama stifled a laugh.  
  
Youko, who could be heard by only by Kurama, had no such compunction and chortled gleefully. 'I really do adore her! Any other human would be screaming in terror right now. Or passed out in fear. But our little goddess is making jokes! Let's kiss her!'  
  
'Really not the time or place for it, Youko.'  
  
'Spoilsport.' Youko pouted. 'Then hurry up and finish them off so we can get back to were we left off with our lover.'  
  
'It won't be that easy.'  
  
'Oh, don't such a cowering kit. Their level of power is lower than that bunch of trash that I just defeated.'  
  
'I know that. But there are twice as many this time.'  
  
'If you're so afraid, then move over and I'll-'  
  
'No!' Kurama was emphatic. 'You've had your turn. This is mine.'  
  
'Ooooooh, I see. You want to show off for our lover, don't you?'  
  
Kurama ignored him.  
  
'Well, you're not doing a very good job if all you're doing is standing around. It's action that impresses, not nothing.'  
  
'I'm studying them, you overactive kit. So shut up and let me study.'  
  
'Well, study a little faster, will you? I'm getting bored and I'd much rather be spending time with our lover without all the...company.'  
  
On that last sentiment, Kurama could wholeheartedly concur. There were many things he'd rather be doing with his time and –  
  
This wasn't one of them.  
  
Hoping to put an end to this as soon as possible, Kurama examined his opponents with a sharp eye, taking in every detail his senses could process. As Youko had said, these youkai had about half of the power their predecessors had though their doubled numbers bumped them up to a more equal level. But on the bright side –  
  
'Keiko was right – they are better looking.'  
  
'Hmm.' Youko studied the youkai critically through Kurama's eyes. 'You don't think she was attracted to one of them, do you?'  
  
Kurama twitched. 'Is this the time to be worrying about something so petty?'  
  
'It's not petty; it's important. If she was, we need to know.' His fangs flashed. 'So we can kill THAT one first!'  
  
Kurama resisted the temptation to roll his eyes. 'The only way to find out if she was would be to ask her – and I am definitely NOT doing that!'  
  
'Then let me out and I will!'  
  
'And make her think we're jealous paranoid freaks? I don't think so!'  
  
'Why not? We ARE jealous and paranoid!'  
  
'Maybe. But SHE doesn't need to know that!'  
  
'Fine,' was the huffy response. 'Then just kill them all and that will take care of whichever one attracted our lover's eye.'  
  
'We don't know that she was actually attracted to any of them,' Kurama pointed out.  
  
'We don't know that she wasn't, either.'  
  
He had a point.  
  
Kurama's observation of his opponents turned more purposeful as he studied them. They were human in appearance though a few showed sharp fangs that protruded out from closed mouths, slightly pointed ears, or natural colored markings on their faces that a regular person would not have. No doubt a few of the members among these were the ones responsible for capturing them in the city; their appearances would certainly have enabled them to blend in amongst a crowd of humans easily enough.  
  
But the only way to know for certain would be to ask.  
  
"Were you the ones that kidnapped us?" Kurama questioned boldly.  
  
"Yes, we were," was the immediate response.  
  
It was the same youkai that had spoken before. He was handsome and well groomed, according to human standards. He had closely cropped hair of a blond so pale it was a shade away from being white while sapphire blue eyes glittered from a setting of finely sculpted features that were strong and masculine. His body was muscular and well proportioned and he was definitely the more attractive member of the group. And the commanding way he carried himself while the other youkai canted themselves attentively towards him clearly revealed that he was the proclaimed leader.  
  
A movement caught Kurama's attention and, out of his peripheral vision, he saw Keiko tilt her head as she regarded the blond leader intently. He could make out curiosity on her features, but it was the other things he couldn't read so easily that bothered him.  
  
And it only worsened when he noticed the blond leader regarding her just as curiously.  
  
'That's him. That's the one!' Youko claimed urgently. 'That's the one she's attracted to!'  
  
'We can't know that for certain.'  
  
'Are you blind? He's clearly the better looking of the low level lot. And she's obviously admiring him – why else would she be staring at him for so long?!'  
  
Kurama didn't have an answer for that one.  
  
'And look at the way he's staring back at her. He's mooning at her – it's disgusting!'  
  
'He can't be mooning at her – he's trying to kill her. Don't exaggerate.'  
  
'Who's exaggerating? There's no rule that says you can't lust after the enemy you're trying to kill.'  
  
Kurama tensed at both Youko's words and the half step the blond youkai took towards them, his narrowed sapphire eyes still intent upon Keiko. Kurama's fingers curled into a fist as he fought back the urge to lunge at this threat who didn't seem to be capable of tearing his gaze from the woman beside him.  
  
"So," the blond youkai drawled, "this is the brown-haired human girl that rumors have been talking about? She doesn't look like she has the power that tales have told of. But it must be true for you both to have managed to escape the trap."  
  
Kurama went blank. 'What is he talking about?'  
  
'I don't know,' Youko answered, just as clueless.  
  
"Uh, I think you've got the wrong girl," Keiko said nervously as she eyed the youkai warily. "I don't see why there'd be rumors of me having any sort of power. I'm just a normal human female."  
  
"Are you not the woman of Urameshi Yusuke?"  
  
Her brows snapped together in annoyance. "That's ex-woman, er, girlfriend. We're not together anymore."  
  
"Then there's no mistake – you're the one."  
  
"What are you talking about?" she asked in frustrated exasperation. "You're not making any sense at all."  
  
"Don't play ignorant. It doesn't suit one such as yourself."  
  
Keiko turned to Kurama. "Do you know what he's talking about?"  
  
He shook his head.  
  
"You can't hide the truth from me," the youkai scoffed. "Pretending to be a normal human is a good ruse-"  
  
"I am a normal human!"  
  
"-but I know who you are, girl. The one with power, the one who can help a youkai level up in class – you can't hide it."  
  
Keiko stared at him, incredulous. "Are you INSANE?! Where'd you get an idea like that?!"  
  
"There's no use denying it." The youkai's gaze shifted to Kurama. "His presence just proves it."  
  
Her expression was as bewildered as her tone. "Proves what?"  
  
"The results of anyone who possesses you." A grim smile touched his lips. "It's plain for anyone with eyes to see. The man named Urameshi Yusuke achieved a leveling up of power after being with you and was able to defeat high-class youkai he should never have been able to beat – even when he still stank of the stench of full human. The legendary Youko Kurama trapped in human shell was finally able to break free of his prison of flesh, able to transform at will back and forth between full human and youkai when such a thing should be impossible – all after being with you."  
  
Keiko eyed him suspiciously. "Just what are you implying?"  
  
"It's obvious, anyone that possesses you can use you to boost his power beyond the unknown limits." His smile turned wolfish. "Don't worry, girl. We won't kill you. We've still got a use for you."  
  
"How comforting," she retorted sarcastically, not liking the murmurings amongst the youkai surround them as what their leader said struck a chord with them and had them eyeing her in a way she'd be more than happy to do without. "But I think you've got the wrong impression of me – I can't do anything like what you're saying. Any leveling up done by Yusuke and Kurama was done completely on their own. You're better off looking elsewhere if you want a power boost."  
  
"That remains to be seen." He glanced at Kurama, almost dismissive in the gesture. "But first, we need to deal with your companion." He laughed, a sound that would have been pleasant under different circumstances. "In your human form, your power is halved. And having been through the rigors of one transformation already, that means you're too weak to shift back so soon to your true form with the drug still in effect!"  
  
Keiko shot him an angry glare while Kurama remained silent.  
  
"That's enough for us to take you on. It's a good thing you didn't die in that trap." He stepped on a clump of charred flesh and kicked it aside with an expression of disgust. "Putrid vermin! Good riddance to them – thinking they could control us and treat us like lesser things just because we accepted work from them. Hah! Now who has the upper hand?" He turned back to Kurama. "I thank you for getting rid of them for us. We were going to do it ourselves, but you beat us to it and saved us the trouble. As a reward, we'll kill you quickly. We'll kill you and earn ourselves a reputation for having been the ones to destroy the legendary thief." He smirked. "Don't worry. After you're dead, we'll take very good care of the woman."  
  
"You haven't killed me yet."  
  
Kurama's voice was soft, deadly. It had Keiko sliding him a quick wary glance but he wasn't looking at her. His focus was on the youkai before him and it had the living ring around them shifting uneasily.  
  
Kurama had spent the duration of the blond youkai's loquaciousness taking inventory of his opponents while listening to his revelations of the rumors surrounding Keiko. The rumors, while interesting, wouldn't help so he only paid attention with half an ear. He could mull over it at a later date but the now needed him to concentrate on getting Keiko out of this mess.  
  
Despite the numbers, he knew he could do this. He just had to be precise, fast, his timing perfect to eliminate them all as quickly as possible before they had enough leeway to do much damage with whatever their attacks might be.  
  
And he had to be sure Keiko was safe while doing it.  
  
The best strategy to enable him an opening for attack would be to make them lose control, shake their focus. And the best way to do that...would be to make them angry.  
  
Unlike Youko with his ready taunts, Kurama decided to take a subtler route, for the moment anyway. Though weaker in power, these youkai – or at least the leader – appeared to have slightly more intelligence and cunning than the previous ones. That is, aside from their gullibility in taking such stock in rumors. If Kurama verbally attacked these youkai with words right off the bat, he had a feeling the blond leader would see through it.  
  
So that meant he'd have to be more devious in sliding in the insults.  
  
The youkai was already angered by Kurama's words. "I didn't realize you were in such a hurry to die, human."  
  
Kurama's lips curved, but he said nothing. He merely stared back, quiet, waiting. The lengthening quiet while the blond and redhead locked gazes in a silent contest neither was willing to back away from made the surrounding youkai obviously nervous as they shifted restlessly, casting Kurama wary and nervous glances while tension seemed to double in the clearing with each passing moment.  
  
"Roki," muttered one of the other youkai whose nerve broke first, "maybe we should just kill him now and take the girl."  
  
"Yeah," growled another uneasily. "Just kill him now and get this over with."  
  
Murmured agreement rose from others in the group.  
  
"SILENCE!"  
  
The blond youkai, or Roki, roared the command when the noise from his followers became too much for him. He tore his gaze away from Kurama to glare at the group to back up the threat in his voice with his black expression, his fury turning even darker at the realization of the unintentional 'win' he'd just given to the enemy by being the first to break contact. It caused his words to come out harsh, vibrating with the force of his wrath as he snarled at his compatriots.  
  
"I give the orders here – not you! I say when or when not to kill him, or anything else I think of to do to him. I command - you listen. And if any of you have an opinion to the contrary," sapphire blazed while his smile bared his teeth, "then you take it up with me right here, right now, though I think we all know what the results of confrontation will be. Don't we?" When the other youkai shrank back, afraid and cowed, Roki turned his furious attention back to Kurama and growled his heated demand. "Now, what was so damn funny?"  
  
Kurama merely kept his silence, gaze cool and watchful, and lips slightly curved.  
  
"Is the thought of your death really so amusing?" Roki sneered angrily, unfazed by the intimidating look. It was only adding fuel to his ire. "You HUMAN."  
  
"You say it like it's an insult," Kurama finally responded, tone relaxed and calm.  
  
"And you don't think it is?" Incredulity was stamped on his features. "Knowing the full glory of what you once were as true youkai, you're satisfied being reduced to the pitiful half-creature that you are now?"  
  
"It has its compensations," was the easy reply.  
  
"You've been corrupted," Roki spat in disgust. "Siding with the humans – you're a disgrace, betraying your own kind. Traitor!"  
  
"As youkai are normally naturally treacherous, you're hardly in the position to label me such."  
  
Roki's fists clenched at the coolly uttered comment as he glared at Kurama with a revolted sneer. "You've become tainted by living amongst humans so long, by living as a human so long. You really are a human. You've forgotten the pride and glory of being pure youkai like us."  
  
"Pure youkai?" A red brow arched. "Now there's an oxymoron if I ever heard one."  
  
"What?" growled Roki.  
  
"I believe you understood me; you're more well-spoken than most others of your kind," Kurama said smoothly. "But drawing any sort of correlation between me and you...that's the true insult right there."  
  
Sapphire eyes widened before narrowing with rage. "You dare to say that being human is BETTER than us?"  
  
"You said it, not me."  
  
As Keiko's nervous glance darted back and forth between Kurama and Roki, she was sorely tempted to move away from the brewing disaster about to break over them. Much, she sensed, like it had when Youko had acted out a similar scenario. And she would have followed through on her instincts to shy away from immediate danger if doing so wouldn't have placed her closer to the other youkai positioned at their backs.  
  
There was nowhere else to go.  
  
'I certainly hope he knows what he's doing,' Keiko thought worriedly. 'I'm going to be really ticked off if he gets us killed.'  
  
Despite the wayward thought, she had the utmost confidence in Kurama. She'd put his keen intelligence over anyone else's any day of the week. Plus, he had an ancient kitsune spirit on his side who'd probably seen and done just about everything by now and she trusted that neither of them would let anything happen to her.  
  
She believed in Kurama.  
  
But she still wished he wouldn't taunt the dangerous youkai quite so much.  
  
His style was subtler than Youko's had been, that she could see. Whereas Youko had been blatant and direct from the start with his insults almost to the point of exaggeration, Kurama's method was more slippery. He egged his opponent on with deliberate silences that the youkai clearly found offensive and then turned the enemy's own words against him!  
  
Somehow, it was an insult worse than a direct barb.  
  
And the youkai knew it too.  
  
Even as she observed watchfully, the handsome features of the blond youkai contorted in his fury into a sight that was distinctly...less pretty. Anger caused the jewel-like sapphires of his eyes to darken in color until they were almost black while lips pulled back from his teeth in an enraged snarl, the visible muscles in his neck and arms bulging and trembling with the extreme effort it seemed to be taking to rein in his stormy wrath over having his pride mocked.  
  
"What's the matter?" Kurama's cool voice slid through the taut silence. "Don't tell me a simple lowly human has managed to strike a mighty full- blooded youkai dumb with mere words?"  
  
'Uh-oh,' was all Keiko had time to think before all hell broke loose.  
  
"ATTACK!" Roki roared with a slicing motion of his hand.  
  
Whether it was the roared order or commanding gesture, all surrounding youkai obeyed instantly and went into immediate action and moved as one –  
  
Towards them.  
  
Keiko tensed, sucking in a frightened gasp when a quick movement in her peripheral vision caught her eye. She focused on the activity just in time to see Kurama reach beneath the red of his hair and flick a wrist outwards.  
  
"Rose whip!"  
  
It was a blur of motion her eyes couldn't track no matter how hard she tried to strain her eyes and do just that. The only things she could pick up was the splash of red that seemed to spray the air around her, clouding her vision, while agonized screams clamored all about her, too numerous and coming from too many different locations for her to pinpoint any individual one while pieces of bodies fell to the earth in successive dull thuds.  
  
Then steely bands suddenly snapped around her, dragged her backwards, and she screamed.  
  
"Kurama!"  
  
He whirled around towards the cry just in time to see her struggling in the grips of Roki whose muscled arms were coiled around her in a tight bind as he forcefully dragged her towards the edge of trees. The sight had fury clouding his vision in a dark mist and, without ever taking his eyes off of the scene playing out before him, a quick flick of his wrist had the neck of the youkai wrapped in the end of his whip abruptly snapping with a meaty crack, sending the head spinning off into the distance. Where it landed, he didn't care. The only thing on his mind was –  
  
'Keiko.'  
  
Full of rage, consumed with the need to take her back from the filthy grips of the youkai that held her prisoner, he headed towards them, his every step purposeful and radiating a danger that any intelligent creature would be wise to flee from. Roki looked up from the struggling girl, saw his furious figure –  
  
And he grinned.  
  
"Stop!" Roki commanded authoritatively.  
  
Kurama ignored the order, continued approaching purposefully, slow and steady.  
  
Roki just shifted an arm, one wrapped firmly around the struggling woman to keep her in place while the other crisscrossed over her chest with the hand positioned just inches from her face. The fingers of that hand were curled inward and, as any who cared to look on watched, the nails lengthened, sharpened until they resembled a handful of extended daggers.  
  
And they were all aimed at Keiko's face.  
  
She froze, struggles ceasing as she tried to be as still as she could for fear that any motion on her part would push those knife-like appendages across the scant distance that separated them.  
  
Likewise, Kurama froze in place as well.  
  
"That's right." Roki smiled maliciously. "You'd better do as I say from here on out. Or I'll kill her right now."  
  
"You're bluffing." Kurama never took his eyes off of him. "You need her to increase your power."  
  
"There are other ways to do that. She'd just be more convenient since we already have her at hand. I'd prefer to keep her but...if you force my hand, she'll prove to be expendable."  
  
Emerald eyes flashed with gold.  
  
'Let me out! Let me out, Kurama! Let me out right now!'  
  
'No.'  
  
'Kurama! You-!'  
  
'He's serious. He'll kill her without hesitation if we don't play along. If we switch now, the sudden change could set him off and Keiko will be the one who winds up hurt. And neither of us wants that.'  
  
'She'll be hurt if we don't do anything too!'  
  
'I know that. But you have to calm down. We need to wait for the right moment to attack to prevent the least possible harm from coming to her.'  
  
'Then make it soon,' Youko growled restlessly. 'I don't like seeing another man's hands on her.'  
  
'Neither do I.'  
  
"No need to glare at me like that," Roki was telling him smugly. "You can't kill me with a look and there's not much else you can do otherwise."  
  
Kurama just continued to glare, gaze chaotically swirling emerald and gold.  
  
Roki's eyes narrowed at the odd gaze, made uneasy by it and angry by his uncertain reaction to a simple look. It made him edgy and he subconsciously tightened his hold on the frozen woman in his clutches as he swept a visual around the clearing, taking in the remaining members of his group that were still alive.  
  
There were only a handful left.  
  
"Restrain him!" Roki snapped at the youkai.  
  
None of them moved.  
  
They cast fearful glances from the pieces of their fallen comrades littering the ground to the slender young redhead who wasn't supposed to have been capable of doing as much damage as he had. And seeing how afraid they'd become of human-tainted dirt to the point where they disobeyed a direct command from him made Roki absolutely furious!  
  
"What are you waiting for?" he growled harshly. "He won't do anything while I've got the woman's life in my hands. This is our chance to make a name for ourselves by killing off a legend and have other youkai recognizing us, respecting us – FEARING us. You don't want to miss out on that, do you?" His smile was sharp as he noted the temptation in their expressions. "This is an opportunity we can't possibly lose, not when we've got this little sweetie," he gave Keiko a squeeze, missing the fury that flashed in her eyes, "in our grasp."  
  
A couple of the youkai murmured agreement, nodded.  
  
"Good." His gaze was hard. "Now make sure our red-headed friend here is a...bit more uncomfortable."  
  
During the entire exchange, Kurama never said a word, never took his eyes off Keiko or her captor. He was unresisting when his arms were roughly grabbed, each restrained by a different youkai, and his rose whip discarded. He made no sound as Keiko gasped in protest when another youkai him gave him a sharp kick to the back of his legs, sending him crashing to the wet earth onto his knees while the ones gripping his arms twisted them painfully behind him as they all laughed cruelly at his ignoble position.  
  
Throughout it all, he never said a word.  
  
"Not so high and mighty now, are you?" Roki sneered.  
  
Roki was taking full pleasure at the sight of his enemy's humiliation, a fitting punishment for the disrespectful tainted youkai that proved just who the superior race was. Smirking, never taking his eyes off the redhead whose contained fury was practically palpable, Roki's expression turned wicked as he decided to taunt him even further  
  
He shifted his grip on the woman, adjusted his hold so that the hand that threatened to skewer her at any moment remained in place while the arm attached to it changed position so that it pressed hard against her upper torso, keeping her body pinned to his with a strong clasp that she'd be unable to break, even if she dared to risk an attempt to struggle free. Meanwhile, the arm wrapped around her waist loosened as he dragged his hand across the length of her body, stroking over hip and thigh before coming to rest just below the hemline of her skirt. His hand curved over the soft flesh, molding to it – and squeezed.  
  
Green-gold eyes flared with chaotic fury while the woman went rigid.  
  
The obvious displeasure the two expressed at the action only tripled Roki's satisfaction as his lips twisted cruelly as he gazed at the helpless redhead with dark triumph. Secure in his position of power, Roki took it to the next level and slipped his hand under the dark cloth of her skirt, burrowing beneath until –  
  
"Well, well, what do we have here?" Roki leered. "Such a naughty girl."  
  
Flushing furiously with anger and embarrassment, Keiko opened her mouth to voice a scathing retort when –  
  
Kurama growled.  
  
There were no words to it, but the message in the low rolling snarl was clear. Rage, warning, leashed power, and the promise of death – all were combined into that wordless sound that had the hair prickling on more than one being's neck.  
  
But Roki...  
  
Roki just smiled.  
  
Unaffected, sure of his power, his victory, Roki enjoyed inspiring the rage and worry that he was drawing from the two captives. Especially the one once known throughout the Makai as a legend, the one that had fallen when he had cast his lot with humans, the one that dared to think even for a moment that he with his tainted blood was above them – above him. The tainted one needed to be taught a lesson about his place in the hierarchy of the world and Roki was just the youkai to do it.  
  
"I can see the two of you found some way to entertain yourself down in that hole," taunted Roki. "Correction, I can FEEL it."  
  
He acted on his words, squeezing the bare flesh within his cupping hand with a leering smirk aimed at the furious prisoner glaring back with a dagger sharp gaze of swirling gold and green. His smirk widened while his youkai compatriots chuckled meanly when another low snarl rolled through the air.  
  
Roki could feel the fury and hate directed towards him from the helpless kitsune and the revulsion emanating from the girl in his arms as she shuddered, head bowing in shame as her long hair fell forward with the motion and concealed her features from view. They were powerless before him and the evidence gave Roki such a rush that his harsh triumphant laughter rang out into the darkening day that continued to rain its tears upon them all.  
  
"I have to admit that you do have that famed kitsune cleverness," goaded Roki. "It's smart to keep her this way, makes her more easily accessible, doesn't it?" He chuckled as he mused, "She's very warm to the touch – makes me wonder if she'll be even hotter inside?" A cast the kitsune a sly look. "Shall we do a little test to see?"  
  
Roki shifted his grip below the skirt.  
  
The girl stiffened even more and made a low, rough sound.  
  
And the kitsune...the kitsune lunged –  
  
Only to be brought up short as the group of youkai that had hold of him tightened their grip. They drew his arms back sharply, painfully, but still he struggled madly, never taking his furious gaze off of the woman and the male who held her captive.  
  
Kurama fought his encumbering restraints, desperate to get to Keiko and tear the bastard that held her to shreds. The rain aided him, made their grips on him more slippery and difficult to hold. He almost succeeded in breaking free too before a sudden pain exploded in his head and sent him reeling.  
  
"Kurama!"  
  
The desperate feminine cry steadied him, helped him swim through the pain and focus past the rage as he hunched over the ground. He stilled, breathing heavily as he tried to compose himself.  
  
'Don't faint on me, Kurama.'  
  
Despite himself, a small smile curled his lips. 'I won't.'  
  
'You'd better not. We still have a lover to win back.'  
  
'Not going to try convincing me to let you take over?' Kurama asked curiously. 'I know you were, are, just as angry as I am. Don't you want to finish this?'  
  
'Of course I do! But you were right, it's too risky to shift right now and tip them off to how much power we still have. And also...you were the one who was struck. You deserve the right to this.'  
  
Kurama read the underlying meaning to his words. 'I didn't know you had such confidence in me.'  
  
'Hmph...just don't disappoint me.'  
  
"Enough of this!"  
  
The roughly barked words drew his gaze upwards. Kurama paused to take in the worried expression on Keiko's pale face before shifting behind her to the one that had spoken.  
  
No longer smirking, Roki's features were tense as he looked back angrily and Kurama knew then and there that his opponent was no longer fooled. Foreboding stole over him, Youko sharing his concern as Kurama calculated just how likely his chances were of breaking free and getting to Keiko before Roki acted.  
  
'The odds are not good, Kurama.'  
  
It was unfortunate that Kurama could only agree.  
  
Their concerns were quite valid as the skirmish had put things in a new light in Roki's mind. The way the kitsune had almost shaken loose from the others, something he shouldn't have been able to do while still under effects of the drug that had been administered to him, told Roki more than words that the enemy had more power than originally suspected.  
  
And that made him a threat.  
  
Furious that he had miscalculated and made angry that that miscalculation had been brought to light by a tainted human-youkai, Roki couldn't let the insult go unpunished. And also, because the limits of the kitsune's power were unknown, he couldn't be allowed to live a moment longer and given even the slightest of chances to ruin all of Roki's plans.  
  
Roki couldn't take that risk.  
  
And that left only one option.  
  
"Kill him," Roki ordered sharply as the woman in his arms gasped and the other youkai gave him their attention. "And remember, kitsune," he pressed the tips of his razor sharp nails against pale flesh until a trickle of red ran down only to be washed away by the rain, "you'd better hold still because one wrong move from you will mean the girl's death."  
  
Roki's expression told all that he meant business. Disregarding the feminine bundle in his hold who was suddenly overset with a fine trembling, Roki swept his gaze over his remaining followers who were looking back at him with anticipatory glee before settling on the red-headed man who held an inscrutable expression on his features as he returned the stare with silent regard devoid of fear or any other discernable emotions. To Roki's mind, the kitsune's actions were mocking, almost daring, and it was with great pleasure that he reiterated his growled command.  
  
"Kill him now. And make sure it's brutal."  
  
With ugly chuckles, obeying the command with obvious mean pleasure, the youkai began to descend. And while the kitsune remained motionless, staring silently ahead, the desperate terrified cry of one lone female rang out through the clearing as the youkai closed in on their hapless victim.  
  
"Kurama!" 


	6. Chapter 6: Dying of the Storm

AN: Hi, everyone - Just a note, I've had a series of family issues and health problems hit me hard these past several months so I haven't had time in the way of fandom. Thus, the reason for my virtual disappearing act. I'm still recovering but the process seems to be going slow. I know I have a lot of things I need to catch up on, but it'll take time so updates in pretty much anything else may be a while in coming.

I just had this chapter written up before all the problems started cropping up and I finally had time to actually post it. I hope you enjoy it – just another chapter or two left to go! D

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"No!" Keiko cried desperately. "Stop!"

Even as she voiced her protests, deep inside she knew that they'd do no good, not against beings that were so filled with evil intent and took such obvious joy in their wicked actions. As she watched the youkai around Kurama close in on his silent form, horror continued to well within her because she knew that he wouldn't do anything to stop them.

And it was all her fault.

He wouldn't let anything happen to her, not if he could help it. And with Roki's recent threat ringing in her ears, she had a terrible feeling that while her life hung in the balance, Kurama would allow himself to be killed before her eyes even on the slimmest chance that Roki would keep his word about letting her live as long as he died. It was a noble sentiment but...

Keiko simply couldn't stand by and just watch as he got himself killed – not over her.

She'd never forgive herself.

But the only way that things would change, that would enable Kurama to move and defeat the enemies that she knew he could were it not for her...the only way that could happen would be...

She _had_ to break free!

Somehow.

Mind racing as fear, anger, and terror threatened to overtake her, her gaze bounced frantically around in search for something, anything, that might be able to help them both out of this dangerous predicament. A dark object caught her eye, hidden in the gore and bloodshed that lay in waste all about her, and she stilled, focused.

An instant of calculation was all she had. There was no more time think, not for Kurama whom she so desperately wished to be safe. If it worked, then it worked and the two of them would both be the happier for it. And if it didn't...

She'd be doomed even if it didn't kill her.

Without hesitation, she sent up a quick fervent prayer for luck even as she put her hastily concocted plan into action. Letting her entire body go limp as if in a faint, she slumped to the side, away from the direction in which Roki had placed the knife-like objects at her throat.

The motion suddenly put the full weight of her upon Roki's tense grip. It forced Roki to instinctively shift his grip on her lest he immediately skewered his tentative leverage over the furious kitsune's head on the spot.

It was just what she'd been waiting for.

As fast as her human capabilities would allow, knowing she'd never get another chance should she let this one pass her by, she took immediate advantage of the slight loosening of Roki's hold. Her hands snapped up to close on the wrist at her throat and she pulled away from her with all her might while, at the same time, she twisted her head around and sank her teeth into his upper arm as hard as she could, feeling the skin break under the ferocity of her actions. Even as she cringed as foul tasting liquid washed over her tongue while the youkai in question gave a howl of surprised pain, she made use of the sudden slackness of his constricting arm.

As instinct told her that were she to make a break for it, she wouldn't be able to get very far before the youkai recovered and used his greater speed to catch up to her, she selected another plan of action. Instead of using the opportunity to dart away as far and fast as she could from immediate danger, she whirled around in Roki's loose embrace before his surprise could wear off until she was facing him. With the same motion, never stopping, never hesitating, she kicked outwards and up.

"GYAAAAAA!"

The pained cry rent the air as Roki immediately doubled over in intense agony after Keiko kneed him in the groin with all of her might. With Roki temporarily incapacitated with the blinding pain he was suffering, Keiko finally darted away.

But she didn't go far.

Dimly aware of the sounds of fighting breaking out behind her, she hoped that Kurama had taken the initiative in making use of the distraction she'd provided. But she couldn't risk taking the time to look back, afraid that if she stopped then she'd only be slowed down and captured again and they'd be back to where they had started.

It was only an instant, even if it felt like forever. Fear riding her, adrenaline pulsing through her while her heart pounded madly, she made a mad dash to her destination just a short distance away, skidding across the slippery mess of slaughter littering the earth until –

"You BITCH!"

- she lunged!

As the enraged roar thundered behind her and she could feel his furious presence looming closer, she gratefully closed her shaking hands on the object of her goal. Ignoring the sickening wet suctioning sound as she pulled it free of its fleshy entrapment, sensing the black presence behind her as a darker shadow cast its way over her, she didn't give herself any time to think – only to react.

Whirling around, she swung with the same motion, putting all the energy and power she could muster within it just as Roki made a wipe at her with one razor-tipped claw.

_CRACK!_

"Keiko!"

Kurama's cry reflected all the worry and fear he held for the young woman as he watched with disbelieving eyes when her swing hit the youkai bearing down on her before he could slice her to ribbons. With amazed relief coursing through him, he took in the sight of her smaller figure wielding a club almost half her size as if it were nothing, connecting with the youkai's head with a solid crunch that had enough force behind it to lift the larger form off its feet and send it sailing to crash amongst the barrier of leafy vegetation a short distance away.

'_Beautiful,'_ Youko purred lustfully. _'Now I want to kiss her even more...'_

Kurama barely heard him.

Consumed by conflicting emotions, he stepped towards her, winding through the carnage of enemies both old and new around him, he didn't stop until he was beside her. She was turned away from, facing the direction in which her enemy had fallen as she panted heavily, body tense and trembling with her exertions. Wanting her attention, but unsure as to how she'd react in light of the fast-paced fury of recent events, he addressed her cautiously.

"Keiko?"

At the sound of his voice, she slowly turned, revealing her features to him. Glimpsing the pallor of her skin and the glassy sheen to her wide eyes while she continued to tremble, Kurama became concerned, a sentiment he could feel echoed by Youko.

"Keiko?" he ventured again quietly. "Say something please."

In growing alarm, Kurama and Youko watched with a horrified sort of panic while those dark eyes glistened and pooled with a sheen of tears. As her lips trembled unsteadily, the two souls she was unknowingly affecting so strongly were caught completely off guard when she suddenly launched herself at him, the club she held dropping to the earth with a dull thud as she threw her arms around him, squeezing with a grip that was surprisingly strong as she buried her face into his chest.

"Kurama!" came her muffled voice. "I'm so glad you're alive! I was so scared!"

"Shh," he murmured soothingly. "It's okay now. Everything's alright."

He continued soothing her with words, the comforting tone more important than the meaning, while his arms came up instinctively to wrap around her, holding her close to him as he rocked from side to side, hoping the motion would help to settle her agitation. But as the trembling form lessened, some part of him was surprised to note his own turmoil at seeing her in danger, at coming so close to losing her, was abating with continued contact in her presence as well. Relaxing against her, feeling Youko within him basking in the sensations as well, he could have stayed like this forever.

Which was why he was startled when she suddenly pushed him away!

"Oh, gross!" Her pretty features contorted. "Yuck!"

Confused, arms feeling empty without her, he gave a questioning, "Keiko?"

When he would have taken another step closer, a hand shot up, palm out, and stopped him. Perplexed, worried, and feeling somewhat hurt by her actions, he continued gazing at her with a baffled confusion when she shook her head, features reflecting her disgust as she opened her mouth and –

Spit!

The two souls trapped within one body experienced the same sort of mystified bemusement at seeing their beloved behave in such an unlikely manner. As they watched, she did it again, tilting her face upwards and catching the rainwater pouring down into her open mouth only to spit it out and then repeat the process several more times.

"Jerk," she muttered. She turned to look at him, face set in lines of irritation. "Why didn't you warn me?"

He gave a slow blink. "What?"

"Why didn't you warn me that youkai tasted so bad? I don't think I'll ever get it out of my mouth!"

Torn between amusement and bafflement, Kurama's reply was absentminded. "I'm sorry. I had no idea you'd try to eat him. If I'd known beforehand, I would have warned you."

"Oh, you!" she sputtered angrily. "It's not like you gave me time to come up with anything else! And you!" She glared accusingly. "You should have fought back – not just kneel there like a sacrificial lamb at slaughter!"

Green eyes narrowed. "And get you killed in the process?"

"Yes!" Dark eyes glittered furiously. "That's better than watching you die while I watch!"

"_That_ is a matter of opinion."

She snarled at his seeming obtuseness. "Don't try talking your way around me. You were an absolute idiot – it was like you were _trying_ to get yourself killed!"

"Then it's a good thing you did what you did so that I didn't, isn't it?"

It took her a moment to process that confusing statement as recent events seemed to have scrambled her wits, but when she did, she was even more furious than she was before.

He was trying to talk around her again!

The lingering fear she still felt at almost seeing him die before her eyes fueled her temper at his word games, heightening it to a dangerous point. So consumed was she with her own roiling emotions that she failed to take heed to the dangerous edge that crept into his voice, indicative of his own anger that was only sparked off by hers.

As much as Youko and Kurama enjoyed the way she glowed in her fury, her suggestion that they should have saved their life only to throw away hers made them feel violent. Fingers curled into tightly clenched fists as they struggled to hold back, to reign in the remnants of anger and fear at the memory of her life so close to ending in an instant, to control the opposing volatile urges that wanted to both kiss her until their fear and fury abated or to shake her until she had some sense knocked back into her. However, emotions were a slippery thing, and their control and determination to hold back, to be as considerate as possible of her after the recent events that had left their mark on her, were stretched to their limits.

And her continuous tirade did nothing help.

"Honestly," Keiko was saying heatedly. "I don't know if I want to be with anyone who keeps pulling such asinine stunts. Risking yourself like that, almost getting killed – really!" Recklessly, paying little heed to the unnatural tenseness of his body, she poked him in the chest with one accusing finger – hard. "What you did was completely suicidal, you idiot! And if you had even a _shred_ of common sense in that empty kitsune-brained head of yours, you would have-"

She broke off in a gasp as she found herself suddenly jerked forward by a strong grip on her shoulders. A blur of red and flashing emerald eyes was all she had time to register before she was caught up in a maelstrom of whirling emotions when his lips claimed hers.

Taken by surprise, her mouth instinctively opened with a tiny shocked gasp to his aggressive demand. He took immediate command, thrusting and sweeping in as his arms slid around her and pulled her against him so tightly and forcefully that her toes barely brushed the grass as he pinned her to him, carrying her weight easily with his strength.

But the initial surprise was quick to wear off, and it wasn't long before she was kissing him back just as furiously, arms winding around his neck tightly to draw their mouths even closer, the tumultuous emotions she could feel rolling off of him and pouring into hers adding fuel to her own. All the anger, all the fear that had been building in her for herself, for him, since this adventure began channeled itself into another outlet. The heated words she'd planned to castigate him with faded away and the only thing in her thoughts was him and the intensity of emotions he was making her feel.

With a yearning mewl, her fingers threaded through his hair, clenching tightly in a demand for more. More she wanted, needed, but she was left aching when he slowly pulled away.

She gazed up at him questioningly when he pulled back to see the indecipherable expression on his features as he slowly lowered her until her feet were flat on the earth once more. She swayed unsteadily, shaken, but he held her, supporting her until she was feeling solid enough to stand on her own without his help.

"Kurama? Why...?"

A muffled sound from behind her had her whirling around. But Kurama was quicker and nudged her behind him as he placed himself between her and the direction of the noise. Though somewhat irritated by his highhanded actions, she was too worn down by the day's events and offered no protest. Besides, after everything that had happened, they deserved a break. Whatever that noise was, it was probably nothing, something harmless and -

The sound came again and this time Keiko was able to identify it. It was –

A groan?

She felt a chill skirt down her spine as the brush before them rustled alarmingly. A motion caught her eye and she looked just in time to see Kurama draw forth another rose – _'How many does he have of those, anyway?' _– and with a flick of the wrist, the flower was transformed into another whip that snaked outwards before coiling down to the ground at their feet, at rest but prepared to spring into action at moment's notice.

Another low groan, another faint rustle of vegetation, and then a shock of pale hair emerged from the surrounding green. Kurama's body tensed, his arm drew back to send his weapon slicing through the air –

Only to stop short at the touch on his wrist.

He turned back to gaze at her with disbelieving eyes while she looked back with an uncomfortable but, nevertheless, somewhat determined expression. As the rustling before them became louder, more pronounced, Kurama growled at the young woman holding him back with a simple light touch.

"What are you doing?"

"Please." She shook her head. "There's been enough violence today."

"You're asking me to just let him go? After what he did to you?"

Incredulous, he could only stare back at her contrite features and wondered if the stress from recent events had made her go a little crazy. Inside, Youko, who had been observing the entire situation, had a different insight to offer.

And it was just as unappealing.

'_That bastard,'_ came Youko's snarl. _'Kill him quick, Kurama. She's still attracted to him.'_

'_Wha-? What makes you think that?!'_

'_Why else is she pleading for his pathetic life? After everything he's done?'_

'_Keiko just has a soft heart.'_ Doubt crept into his tone. _'That's just the way she is.'_

'_Soft enough that she tried to bash his head in, even while she's speaking out against violence?' _ Youko made a rude sound. _'Did you forget so soon how intently she was staring at him before? Obviously some affections still linger.'_

Kurama frowned. _'She's already declared herself to us. She wouldn't stray.'_

'_No, she wouldn't. Not after an official claim is made. But it's not official yet.'_

'_She admitted her love for us. Said she wanted to be with us. What other 'official' is there?'_

'You know, Kurama. Though you shy away from it, instinct that you cannot ignore is there no matter how much you avoid listening to it.'

'_What are you-?'_

'_We claimed her love, her promise. But we have yet to place that same claim on her body, to seal the claim in all ways. Once that is done, then and only then will she be completely ours.'_

'_It doesn't work that way among humans, Youko. There are steps involved, dating, waiting-'_

'_We've waited long enough, curse you to all the layers of hell and back! Damnit! You feel it too no matter how desperately you continue to cling to those human values of yours. But you forget, you are not totally human and such rules do not apply.'_

'_They do...because even if I'm not, she still is.'_

'You're blinding yourself to the truth. If she truly is mired in such human values as you seem to think she is, she would have been more protesting to our advances up to this point. She would have been more vocal before we kissed her, before we touched her even as words of our affection had yet to be said. But she did not protest, did not tell us to forever leave her alone. She merely chided us for our lecherous behavior.'

'You're forgetting the many interruptions we've had. Who knows what she might have said before the fighting started?'

'_Why do you constantly refuse to_ see_?'_ Youko made a low frustrated sound. _'I will not let her slip away because of_ your_ squeamishness. I will _not_ allow the chance to pass by and another to claim her – she is_ ours_ and she must be made to see that she is not allowed to cast her eyes at another man, be it youkai or human. And if you will not help me, then move aside without further argument or else I will take control by force and do what must be done – with or without your consent!'_

"Kurama?"

Keiko's gentle call broke into the internal discussion and Kurama found her gazing up at him uncertainly. The gentle pleading in her expression, in her voice, would have instantly swayed a lesser person and Kurama was tempted – were it not for what it was that she was pleading for.

"No more fighting," she said softly. "Please?"

"If it were anyone else but him..."

"Eh?"

"If it were anyone else but him – would you still ask that?"

"What?" The growled words left her blinking in confusion. "Who?"

A heated response rose to his lips, but before he could voice it –

"Bitch!"

The angry curse snapped their attention ahead as the brush gave another alarming rustle as more of the body attached to that pale head of hair emerged. Visible from chest up, blood running down the one side of his face, sapphire blazed in fury at the one who did this to him, the one who had humiliated him so.

One.

Tiny.

Female.

_HUMAN!_

Keiko flinched beneath that furious regard while Kurama growled in both irritation at the threat to his beloved goddess and at the fact that the enemy was ignoring him and the more obvious danger that he presented. But then, for some youkai...

Brains were not much of a necessity.

Surprisingly, it was Keiko who addressed the youkai first. Though her voice was wavering as she half-hid behind Kurama's form, peering cautiously around him at Roki, her voice was strong.

"I'm sorry for what I did," Keiko said apologetically, "but you didn't leave me much of a choice."

The two males regarded her with varying amounts of disbelief and suspicion.

"And...we don't want any more trouble," she continued. "So...you have a choice. You can leave if you want...if you agree to stop fighting."

"Girl, you expect me to believe that? You think your would-be youkai lover will let me walk out of here just like that with no hard feelings?"

'_No fucking way.'_

'_Not a chance,'_ Kurama inwardly echoed Youko's sentiment...in a more polite fashion.

"To kill you now would be cold-blooded murder," Keiko replied firmly. "I don't hold to it."

"Tell that to the rest of my comrades," Roki responded derisively, sweeping his gaze around the clearing splattered with bodies and blood. "Your tenderhearted words don't hold up."

"That was in self-defense! And you were trying to _kill_ us first!"

"Not you. Just the kitsune."

"That's no better!"

"Not for you, maybe."

"Oh!" She glared. "Forget it. You're all alone now and you have to admit that there's not much of a chance for you to win without any help. Trying would be suicidal."

"Are you threatening me?" growled Roki in disbelief.

"No! Don't put words in my mouth! All I'm saying is...there's no meaning in continuing to fight any longer. If you...just leave now, no harm will come to you."

Roki regarded her with narrowed eyes. "Why should I believe you?"

"Because I'm not like you."

Sapphire clashed with brown as gazes caught and held. An indescribable something seemed to vibrate between those two for one brief moment, enough to have Kurama and his other tensing at some foreboding that went unseen. It was an ominous emotion within them that had grown along with their fury at the continued banter between their lover and the potential threat to their relationship that instincts urged them to destroy immediately before whatever invisible tie, which seemed to be connecting the two, grew too strong.

But then the moment was broken as Roki rose, causing Kurama to tense anew in battle readiness, prepared to defend against any sudden attack the enemy might attempt. However, Roki seemed to ignore the kitsune as he stood, the brush stopping at thigh level as he swayed slightly for one wavering moment before he steadied. Through half-closed eyes, he regarded Keiko silently in a manner that two male souls were finding increasingly infuriating, especially as the one being regarded seemed to be returning the attention.

"I appreciate your offer," Roki finally said as he rotated an arm absently, muscles popping audibly even through the sounds made by the falling rain as he worked out the kinks in his body. "The sentiments behind it are honest, and you're not half bad for a human. Or a woman."

"Thanks...I think." Keiko studied him with a quizzical half-smile, unaware of the inward growls the youkai's backhanded compliment inspired within her companion.

"In light of the circumstances," Roki said casually, "it's an offer that only a fool would turn down. I'm not a fool."

Keiko inclined her head. "I was hoping you weren't."

"I'm not." A handsome smile creased his features. "I'm not. But-"

A slashing motion, the glint of rain and light on razor edges –

"I'm sorry – but I have my pride!"

A powerful lunge –

A blur of motion –

The sound of a crack splitting the air –

The spray of red misting the rain –

A dull thud impacting the earth – and then...and then...

Everything was silent, still but for the motions made by the continued falling of the rain from the darkening skies above as late day sought to turn to night.

It was finally over.

Allowing his stained weapon to slide through his fingers and fall to the grass with a barely audible sound, Kurama turned to regard the young woman beside him silently. She was staring at the remains of what had once been the enemy, expression reflecting pity and...regret.

That last visible emotion was what had him, them, trembling with a renewed fury at having their lover's attentions turned towards a fallen foe. It made them brash, reckless, desiring recompense for the pain her sentiments visited upon their bruised emotions as their voice sliced through the encroaching darkness with its silky sharpness.

"Will you miss him so very much then?"

Startled gaze jerked to his. "Wha-? What did you say?"

"You heard me – will you miss him so very much?"

Brows creased in confusion, becoming somewhat alarmed by the odd tone to his voice and the expression in his eyes, her reply was halting and uncertain. "W-why are you asking me that?"

"Stop evading and answer the question!"

The sharp command surprised a gasp from her as she found herself suddenly gazing into furiously swirling gold-green eyes. Confused, worried, and a little scared, she stumbled back a half step.

But even that little action infuriated them, instinctual anger overriding any reason and seeing the small motion as an attempt to get away, to break free of them.

And that was something they could _not_ allow!

Quick as a flash, they gripped her upper arms, in a steely grip hard enough that it would leave bruises later. They prevented her escape as her wide eyes looked back at them while theirs bored into hers with disturbing intensity as if they could pierce beyond and pull all the secrets out from her very soul. If it had been possible at that moment, they would not have hesitated so strong was their need to _know_.

Instead, they settled for trying to intimidate the answers they wanted from her. It was a good strategy that had succeeded many times against an opponent in innumerable skirmishes that had been graced with kitsune tenacity. And even in this situation, it did not fail to intimidate –

Up to a point.

It was unfortunate that their current intended prey was not one to be intimidated for long.

"What is your problem?" she finally hissed at them once she'd had enough of their attitude. "Why are you acting like this?"

"Why?" they drawled slowly, as if testing the word. "Surely it should be obvious."

"Not so much, no."

"Then let us put it this way." They leaned in, nuzzling her rain-slicked cheek, taking pleasure in the slight hitch in her breath. "We are jealous creatures, and you have agreed to be ours. As such, no other is allowed to touch you and you...you are not allowed to cast your eyes at another, be it male or female. And we find your flirting bordering on breaking this basic rule."

"Allow? Flirting?" Her head was whirling. "Wha-?" Her eyes widened. "You think I was _flirting_?!" Anger rose. "What the hell made you think that?!"

A soft growl rolled over her ears. "Do not try to deceive us, we who are masters of the deceptive. Do you think we did not notice that way you looked at him, the way you _admired_ him.? And he...he could not take his eyes off of you and, while that in itself was galling enough, the way you returned his interest is a thousand times worse!"

She jerked back enough to view his tightly drawn features with narrowed eyes as she sputtered angrily. "You – you idiot! Who was admiring? I wasn't admiring anybody!"

"Do not take us for fools." His fingers tightened on her. "We saw the way you were gazing at him, attracted to him. If we had not been there between you and him, you would have -"

_WHAP!_

They winced at the stinging sharp pain that slapped upon their chest, the thin material of wet cotton offering little protection against the attack. Sharp points dug into their flesh through the cloth as she curled her fingers inwards while her dangerously narrowed eyes shot off sparks with enough heat to give them pause.

"I would have _what_?" she growled impressively. "And let me warn you now – you'd better be very, _very_ careful about what you say next."

They were silent, their anger abating slightly as they regarded her warily.

"Silence – good choice." She fisted her hands into his shirt, tugging forcefully until they were directly eye-to-eye. "Now, listen here. Maybe you were hit enough times to cause you temporary brain damage in that otherwise normally intelligent mind, so I'll try to be forgiving and let this one incident pass. Because it's perfectly obvious that something has made you go a little crazy to even _think_ of accusing me of what you seem to be accusing me of!"

"We-"

"Nuh-uh," she interrupted sharply. "Listening, remember? Your job right now is just to listen while I talk – and try to use that mind of yours to actually _understand_ what I'm going to say."

Green-gold eyes narrowed, but they did not speak.

"I've had it with your asinine ideas and continuous doubts. I'm in no mood for it – _especially_ after a day like today." She rapped a fist against their chest, right over the heart. "Your weird jealousy fixations are skewing everything out of proportion. What you saw as an 'admiring' look was a 'studying' look."

"And you had to 'study' so closely."

"Now what did I say about talking?"

She rapped his chest again and they fell silent.

"As I was saying before – you were wildly misinterpreting what you saw and twisting it to fit your own misguided conceptions. What you saw was me studying him, comparing him to you. And you know what? He was coming up short, although with the way things are going now, I'm more of a mind to change that particular opinion." Her expression was cross. "As for me being 'attracted' to him, you couldn't be farther off base on that one."

"Oh?" Their tone was suspicious, but willing to be swayed.

"That's right. I didn't feel any attraction whatsoever, even if I do admit that he looked nice."

They tensed.

"But even when was admiring his looks, I was thinking that he still wasn't as pretty as you."

They blinked, bemused. _'Pretty?_'

A small smile formed on her lips at their expression. "Yeah, pretty. You must have had a similar thought at one time or another."

"We prefer to think of it as 'handsome,'" they muttered as their anger continued to abate.

"I'll bet," she snorted. "But that's all it was. I had no feelings whatsoever for him."

"Then why did you try to save him?" they demanded. "We saw that you regretted his death."

"I regret the death of a lot of people that I don't particularly know very well," she said with an arch look. "And I felt sorry for him."

"Sorry?"

She nodded. "It was sad. He wasn't like you. He was so...empty."

"What do you mean?"

"Pride. He had nothing else. Even though it was obvious he couldn't win, he chose to die stupidly with it rather than turning away and finding something better to live for." She cocked her head. "You're not like that though."

They were affronted. "We have pride."

"I didn't say you didn't." She rolled her eyes. "You show too much arrogance at times not to."

They frowned.

"But what I mean is that you have a stopping point. You have other things that make you want to live, that will allow you to set aside your pride to do something that you wouldn't normally do depending on how desperate the situation is. You have pride, there's no denying that – but you don't let it control you to the point of death."

"And you felt sorry for him because of this?"

"Yes, because he wasted his life because of it. I could sense it from him from the start, and I'm sure you could too."

They nodded.

"And what you saw me regret...was the needless waste of a life."

"Then...you are not angry with us for his death?"

"No," she replied, shaking her head. "He was given a choice and he was smart enough to realize the consequences. I was hoping he'd take the opportunity I gave him and make a choice other than the one he did. But I could see it in his eyes before he attacked, he knew what he was doing." She sighed. "And that's the pity of it. He threw his life away. He knew it, and he still threw it away like it was nothing." She sent them a sharp look. "Just like you almost did."

They scowled. "We explained already-"

"No, you didn't! You distracted me – kissed me! And then-" she broke off abruptly, lips compressing as she remembered what happened after. "Listen," she told him in a more subdued tone, "I only love you. I told you that. And that's why it's impossible for me to even think of anyone else in that way, not when I've had these feelings for you for so long that I almost can't remember a time when I didn't."

At her words, they went absolutely still.

"And I know why you did what you did, risking yourself for me like that. I can appreciate it more now that I'm a bit calmer, even if I still don't approve. But..." She gave a small laugh. "If our situations had been reversed, I would have done the same. Even so," her voice wavered, "I was terrified that I'd lose you so soon, that I wouldn't be able to do anything while you..."

Arms wrapped around her gently as her voice trailed off in a choked sob. Emotional strain from the day's events, both good and bad, caught up to her as she trembled within their embrace, quaking like a leaf caught in the wind as she melted into him and allowed herself to be soothed by his comforting embrace. And as she quivered in their arms, their lingering anger and doubts faded away, if only just for this moment, and they were simply content to have her safe with them once more as the rain continued to fall around their figures, entwined in flesh as their souls drew close and kept each other warm with their loving heat.


End file.
